As Sesshomaru walked, a cloud gathered under his feet and he began to fly. I watched startled as he lifted into the air. "Hey I can't fly that's not fair." I said indignantly.
I felt a fist wrap around my arm and I placed my hand over top of the hand gripping me and looked up at Mamoru who smiled wickedly down at me. Suddenly I felt this swirling air around my feet and we began to lift from the ground. I leaned closer to Mamoru as we gained height and flew after Sesshomaru. I breathed in wonder; it was just so beautiful up here. When I shivered in cold, Mamoru drew me into his embrace so that his arms and sleeves enveloped me covering from the wind. My heart raced as he gripped me so tightly and I turned in his arms so that I faced him. His beautiful green eyes met mine and I reached one hand up to gently touch his cheek. His scent flowed around my face, stronger than ever before and I recognized it. It was the smell of fresh tilled earth and sunshine; it was the smell of the forest seconds before dawn broke over the horizon; it was everything that was, is and will bethe earth.
I can't explain exactly what I was thinking. I am not even sure that I was thinking at all. When I turned and saw those eyes to full of warmth and laughter and smelled his intoxicating scent, I felt so happy and joyful at just the sight of them that I knew I had fallen for him though it had been only a few days. I watched as my fingers moved up his smooth skin and ran into his silky blue hair and I couldn't stop them.
Mamoru's eyes looked at me with an expression that I wasn't sure I could read. There was confusion, curiosity, laughter but there were more that I didn't understand. He raised one of his own hands to my face and ran his knuckles down my own cheek. For a while we stayed like that: his hand caressing my cheek and my hand lost in the softness of his hair. Finally, we touched down and I drew away a step. I looked over my shoulder to see that we were still a little ways from the clearing and I turned my eyes back to Mamoru's. God help me…I love him…and I don't know what to do…I thought desperately. I tried to read his eyes but I couldn't. I made a choice right then, I wouldn't regret it, but I had to do something. I stretched up on my tiptoes and gently brushed my lips across his.
As kisses go it wasn't the most sexual, it was just two pairs of lips pressed lightly together, but the shock of the contact sent shivers racing down my spine. After a moment I pulled away and I stared into Mamoru's face with wide eyes. He seemed to be in a state of shock, after a heartbeat of shock, embarrassment, and on my part at least awe, I spun about and ran into the clearing and to Nozomi's side. What the hell did you do? You kissed a demon that you just met, and if that in itself isn't bad but you FORCE kissed him. Didn't ask him if he wanted to kiss you or if he even likes you, no…you had to practically rape him! I screamed at myself as I sat next to Nozomi and tried to calm my heart. I looked up when Mamoru came into the clearing and his eyes met mine with a blaze of heat. I had to swallow back tears. He is mad…that's understandable. Nozomi asked me why we had run off so suddenly. "Kagome and the others hit a spot of trouble and we went to go give them a hand." I said as I tried to relax. I picked up my things and Rin hopped on Ah-Un and we headed out, we had wasted the whole morning and had to get going if we wanted to make it to Naraku's castle with time to prepare.
That night Sesshomaru stopped us in a large clearing that he said was only a few hours travel to Naraku's castle and in the path that Inuyasha would travel. When the girls had lain down to sleep I approached him quietly. "What are we going to do with them when we go into battle? Are we taking them into the castle with us?"
Sesshomaru nodded and Jaken who had strolled over to join us explained, "Once while Lord Sesshomaru was occupied Naraku sent his incarnation Kagura, to kidnap Rin. We want to have them close to make sure he doesn't try again. Don't worry Lady Dawn, I'll protect them."
I squatted down till Jaken's face and mine were even and I whispered. "I am sorry if I don't have a lot of faith in your ability. After all I had to save them from that Spider demon. All I have to say is that if anything happens to either of them…you will become one of my practice dummies. Got that?"
Jaken looked at me terrified and nodded before scampering to stand watch on Ah-Un's back. I leaned against the farthest tree from the camp fire and gazed up at the stars. Starlight, starbright…An ironic chuckle escaped from me before I could squish it. What did I wish for again? No more confusion in how I felt? Well I am not confused anymore but it still doesn't change anything. I sighed and reached back to untie my hair and let its wavy length settle over my shoulders and chest. Closing my eyes I leaned my head against the tree and tried to pull some semblance of calm over myself. Kagome, Inuyasha and the others would be meeting up with us soon; Kouga would probably join up at the same time; but…I couldn't shake the feeling that Naraku would escape. It seemed too simple that he had dropped his shield long enough to be scented and not have a perfect way to escape if his trap didn't work. I felt something touch my hair and leaned my head into it automatically and opened my eyes.
Mamoru had come over to me and ran his fingers into my hair and now held the back of my head in his palm. He was studying my face with the same expression he always looked at me with: interested curiosity. I looked up at him as he held me and he spoke. "Why did you kiss me?"
I leaned my cheek against the warm skin of his arm just below his wrist admiring the blue stripes that matched his cheeks. "It's simple really," I said quietly. I reached out and ran the back of my knuckles along his jaw. "I just wanted to." I dropped my hand and started to walk away but Mamoru tightened his grip on my neck. I looked up at him in surprise and slowly he leaned down and settled his lips against mine. I stood still for a moment in shock then I threw my arms around his neck and clung to him as he kissed me senseless. He kissed me so sweetly and tenderly that I snaked my tongue out to run along his bottom lip. He paused momentarily then wrapped his arms around my back and pulled me hard to his chest and kissed me harder claiming my mouth as his own.
When he pulled away from the kiss I was left dizzy and lightheaded. He ran his cheek against mine and I felt his breath against my collar a second before he bit into the muscle between my shoulder and neck. I was brought out of my lightheaded state instantly as his fangs punctured my skin. I hissed in pain but he nuzzled it gently soothing the pain away before he backed up. As he pulled away his voice whispered into my ear, "You're mine."
He let me go slowly almost as if reluctant to lose his hold on me and walked away. I was panting to catch my breath and fell back against the tree as my fingers moved to feel the bite mark in my shoulder. If it was anyone else, being told I was 'theirs' would have pissed me off to no end but…because it was Mamoru…that damn fluttering was back and I knew that being his…was exactly what I wanted.
The next morning we slept in, resting up for the battle that night. I spent the day drilling Nozomi. She had gotten a demon-slayer outfit from Sango while I had been away and didn't decide to tell me until she came from the woods wearing the tight black suit with pale green armor. I dropped Ebony in shock. "Oh…my…god."
Nozomi stared at me defiantly, "Sango gave it to me as a gift. She promised to train me as a demon fighter."
I closed my mouth and after picking her back up, tossed Ebony to her. "Alright, then show me what you can do. You got big bad demon armor on, if I attack and hit you it wont hurt right? So…en guard!" I came at her full speed with a tree branch. She turned to the side so my hit went past her and she swung the staff at my knees. I blocked it and sent the other end of the branch for her head. And so it went for a while. Though I hit her a few times, she managed to hit me five times and by the time she was finished training we were both ready for a short nap.
When I awake I put on what Nozomi had dubbed my battle armor: the tight black capris and red and black corset. It was more revealing than the demon slayer outfit so I couldn't really say anything more about Nozomi wearing the armor, it was just the shock of seeing my daughter, in an outfit that just shoved in my face how old she truly was. My battle gear wouldn't bounce away the weapons and claws of any demon, but the freedom of movement gave me its own protection. If it were jeans I wouldn't be able to maneuver my legs as easily and if it were sweats the bagginess could trip me, trust me, I've had that experience a few times. I laid out my sheaths and knives and began to tie them on: my right wrist sheath so I could still use my bow if I had to, my two waist sheaths, my arm sheath and a sheath that tied just below my knee so the blade ran along the bone. Nozomi came over and braided my hair tight to my scalp and I returned the favor. Nozomi's fingers brushed over the bite on my shoulder and she got a knowing look in her eye. "He bit you huh?"
"What does it mean?" I asked quietly. From the look on her face it actually had a meaning, not just a bite to be a bite.
"It means he is asking you to be his mate." Nozomi said smiling at me.
"Mamoru is asking me to be his mate? As in wife?" I asked.
She nodded smiling at me gently. I was once again reminded that she was a half-demon and her mom had raised her until her murder a few years ago. "You can refuse and the mark will fade, or you can agree and it will never fade. But to agree to be his mate and make the mark permanent you actually have to…mate with him. Mamoru is a powerful demon no matter what he says. If you mate with him…he could change you into a demon if he wanted and you agreed." Nozomi said. She turned and began to shift around in her bag then slung it over her shoulder. "I'm ready when you are."
I nodded, I had one more thing to do before we could leave. I went over to Rin and she looked at me smiling. "Have you decided where your home is yet?"
I smiled back and whispered, "Tell Mamoru it's where he wants it to be." She giggled and turned to run and ask him but I grabbed her wrist. "Before you go Rin I want to give you something for today." I pulled out my last wrist sheath and the knife and handed it to her. The blade was much too big for her, about the size of her entire forearm. "I don't want you to use this unless you absolutely have too alright? Nozomi and Jaken will be with you during the fight and Shippo as well probably but if something happens and a demon is coming for you I want you to take out this knife and stab it into the demon alright?" Rin nodded and clutched the knife tightly in her hands before putting it into the top of her kimono.
"Oh yes Lady Dawn." She said happily and skipped away to Mamoru. He looked down into her face when she tugged on his sleeve and then he looked over at me. I turned away picked up my bow, quiver, and bag and slung them over my shoulders. I went to stand beside Nozomi and looked back into his handsome face. He was still gazing at me and I blushed faintly remembering the feel of his lips on mine. He looked down at Rin and said something. She squealed and ran over to me.
"Lord Mamoru said that he wants you to go over there." Rin said.
I headed over to talk to Mamoru and smiled up at him. "Yes Mamoru?"
He moved so that he blocked me from sight and leaned down to me. "Have you decided?"
"Becoming your mate is marrying you right? I'll be your wife and our children will be legitimate?" At his nod I smiled. "I will be your mate if you answer me one question."
"What question?" He asked and his eyes turned softer as they gazed on my face.
I leaned against his chest and looked up into his beautiful forest gaze. "Why have me, a human for a mate? With your good looks and considering how powerful you are; you could have any number of demonesses. Why me?"
Mamoru bent and kissed me gently and a shock ran through me, I shivered and my hands fisted in his haori. He drew back and his face softened into a smile so tender and sweet it could give you cavities. "That's why." I grinned up into his face my eyes bright with passion but he set me fully onto my feet. "Inuyasha is almost here."
I nodded and walked back over to Nozomi. "Inuyasha and the others are close." Nozomi smiled and Rin asked me to pick her up. I picked her up under her arms and swung her in a circle before settling her on my hip. She was just small enough for me to hold her comfortably. A second later they came into the clearing, Inuyasha with Kagome on his back, Kirara carrying Miroku and Sango and Kouga muttering about 'mutt-face is touching my woman'. They stopped in the clearing and we had a nice little reunion.
Then Kagome turned to the north. "I can sense the jewel. We need to get moving."
With sober steps we turned our feet north and soon arrived at the gate to Naraku's new castle.
Alright guys this a little note saying thanks to people who have reviewed. If you read do review no matter how simple, it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling when you do. Oh and if you haven't noticed, and I apologize for this, I am fond of cliff hangers. I do it all the time. Hope I didn't disappoint with this chapter.