Author's Corner

Well, here we are. The last chapter before hiatus. I tried to end on a note that isn't too much of a cliffhanger, but we're still in the middle of a quest so I can't wrap it all up completely. I hope still you're satisfied until we meet again in July (wish me luck with exam season rip). Don't forget to review and let me know what you're thinking or if you have any questions because I'll still answer those and any messages you send to my Tumblr. So enjoy your read! Thanks for getting this far. I couldn't keep going like this if it wasn't for all of you. Sayonara everyone!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

EIGHTH BLOOD

Chapter 19: Fang of Heaven

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Sesshoumaru's eyes were like fire. Blue sparks spattered from the Tenseiga, scorching their clothes, but Octavia wasn't the least bit afraid. His eyes didn't leave hers as she curled his fingers around the sword's glowing hilt. How could anyone view it as useless when it was capable of so much? It was powerful enough to frighten the shadows, and it could resurrect the dead. Based on what she'd seen in Sesshoumaru's memories of the Tessaiga, she thought that the one before her was much more valuable. She had a feeling that the Reikon Blade thought so, too.

The Daiyoukai gripped the Tenseiga's hilt with both hands and raised it above his head. The light crackled again, summoning more thunder, and their surroundings began to move again. The ogres ceased fighting and shielded their eyes with their clubs. The crones, on the other hand, looked baffled. The one pursuing them stopped running and stared at the beam of blue light reaching into the sky. The last thing Octavia saw before the light became too bright to bear was Sesshoumaru's terrifying smile. The now blinding light inched outwards, engulfing the cliffside in blue. As the Reikon Blade fizzled out and the connection between them was broken, she wrapped her arms around his waist, locking her fingers together behind his back.

Something murmured in her ear. She closed her eyes and hid her face in Sesshoumaru's blood-stained robes, but the murmuring continued. The Tenseiga was speaking to her. She didn't have any proof that the voice belonged to the sword, but she knew in her heart that it was true. She couldn't understand what it was saying. Could Sesshoumaru hear it, as well?

A deafening crackle tore through her eardrums, followed by roars of agony. Octavia opened her eyes and tried to see what was happening. The ogres were the first to die. The light melted their flesh and forced them to their knees, before sparks of blue electricity finished them off. The crones were next. Octavia watched as they were electrocuted. Even the one made out of stone wasn't impervious to the mysterious blue light. She lasted longer than the others, but her body eventually shattered, flinging shards of granite in every direction.

"You can stop now," she told Sesshoumaru. "It's over. They're dead."

He seemed to have no intention of stopping. The light was starting to affect the youkai that had fought alongside them. Anger stirred in Octavia's chest as she watched them cry out in pain.

"That's enough!" she yelled. "Stop!"

Cursing, Ryuuya threw away his chain and made a beeline for Suki. The light didn't seem to affect him, or any of the other humans, for that matter. Once he reached her, he threw his arms around her and covered her body with his own. Octavia's eyes widened as the young kitsune reached out and fisted his tattered kosode. Sesshoumaru hadn't noticed, or if he had, he didn't care.

Octavia shifted her hands from around his waist and clamped her hands on top of Sesshoumaru's. He snapped out of the trance he'd been in and glared at her. Her face mirrored his. Determined to get the sword away from him, she pressed her fingertips into his knuckles. He grunted in surprise and tried to shake her off, but her feet remained rooted to the ground. Spreading her legs, she held her ground and focused on applying pressure to his knuckles. He was stronger than her, yes, but he had an unfortunate habit of underestimating her.

"Let go," he warned her. "Or I will make you."

Her eyes narrowed. "No."

The Tenseiga rattled once before it ceased moving. The light dimmed and retreated into the blade. She loosened her grip and lowered her hands.

Sesshoumaru was livid. "What did you do?" he snarled.

"Nothing," she replied.

"You lie. How did you make it obey you?"

Octavia's eyes strayed to the former prisoners, who were checking their comrades for injuries. Suki was thanking Ryuuya for his act of selflessness. He looked embarrassed, but his manner wasn't hostile like it had been before. The kitsune pointed to his left arm, which was bleeding, before conjuring a piece of cloth with her fox magic to bind it with.

"It didn't want them to die," Octavia said. "These people are innocent. Besides, the Tenseiga was designed to heal, not destroy."

Sesshoumaru peered down at the sword. "I didn't realise you were such an expert."

"I only know what I saw in your memories."

"You had no right to invade my mind like that."

Guilt flowered in her chest. "I didn't mean for that to happen."

His knuckles were bright red. He shoved the now silent Tenseiga back into its sheath and gave her a venomous look. "Ensure that it never happens again."

Ryuuya and Suki rushed over to them. "I can't believe we won," said the former.

Octavia smirked. "Would it be childish to say I told you so?"

"We couldn't have done it without you," Suki murmured. "Thank you both so much."

"I get why you didn't want me to have it," Ryuuya stated, pointing to the Tenseiga. "There's no way I could have pulled off whatever that was at the end. What was it, anyway?"

"Compensation," replied Sesshoumaru.

"For what?"

"For a lifetime of injustice."

Ryuuya laughed. "This guy gets it."

Suki smiled and bowed her head. "Might we ask your names?"

"I'm Octavia." A sardonic smile tugged at her lips as she introduced the Daiyoukai. "And this is the dashing Lord Sesshoumaru. He's very humble, but make sure you don't forget to use his title. He gets moody when he feels disrespected. Don't you, my lord?" He appeared to be resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

Ryuuya's eyes widened at the knowledge. "A lord, eh? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the name."

"It was a pleasure to meet you both, Lady Octavia," said Suki.

"Oh, I'm not a lady," Octavia corrected.

"Aren't you his wife?"

Octavia grimaced. "What! No! Yuck!"

Sesshoumaru made a scoffing sound. "Ridiculous."

Ryuuya and Suki looked at each other and shrugged. They all said their goodbyes before going their separate ways. The youkai returned to the forest whilst the humans claimed the wagons for themselves. Before she left, Ryuuya thanked Suki for tending to his wound and enquired about what she planned to do with her newfound freedom. Octavia couldn't help but smile when he asked if the cloth that she'd bound his wound with was real or not. Suki smiled and said that it was up to him. His mistrust of youkai hadn't vanished, so he didn't invite her to his house for supper, but Octavia had a feeling that he wouldn't mind seeing Suki again at some point. Regardless of species, it was impossible to resist a little girl with a big heart. Not even Sesshoumaru was immune to that.

As soon as they were alone, Sesshoumaru turned to her and asked, "Why did you stop me?"

"What do you mean? You were going to kill everyone."

"Only the youkai were affected."

"And? They weren't like the ones who captured us. I couldn't just let them die."

The hostility was no longer present on his face. "Why don't you fear me?"

She blinked. "What?"

"Humans are supposed to fear my kind."

"Well, I don't."

"You should."

She stared into his eyes. "'He's not as heartless as he thinks'," she muttered. His eyes narrowed in confusion. "Totosai said that to me before we left," she explained. "I thought he was mental, but now, I'm not so sure. For someone who doesn't have emotions, you get angry a lot."

"You're one to talk, human."

"I know. That's what I'm saying. Your thoughts . . . They were like mine." She remembered the strong feelings that had been attached to his memories. The loneliness and the hurt. It was all too familiar. "The Tenseiga spoke to me. I might be wrong, but I'm pretty sure it was the Tenseiga talking. I couldn't understand what it was saying, but I think it wanted me to make you see."

"See what?"

"That you're not alone." Her eyes softened. "You asked me why I stopped you, but what I want to know is: why didn't you stop?"

"The sword has never acted like that before," he said. "Not since the Tessaiga reclaimed Meido Zangetsuha. I wished to learn what it was capable of."

"Their blood would've been on your hands."

He hesitated before answering. "They haven't been clean for centuries."

"That's not an excuse to keep dirtying them."

He growled at her. "I grow tired of your righteousness. I saw into your mind, as well, and it was as dark and twisted as mine." Her breath caught in her throat. "You may act noble, but your feelings betray you. Why would I listen to the advice of someone who despises me?"

She laughed. "Is that what you think? That I despise you?"

Her hands balled into fists as he stalked closer and loomed over her like a predator that had cornered its prey. "I know you do," he hissed.

"Well, you're wrong. I don't hate you. Just so we're clear, the fact that I don't hate you doesn't mean I like you, but that's irrelevant." She sighed. "I thought I hated you. When we first met, I thought you were a monster. But you're not. If you were, you would've left Rin to rot."

His expression faltered. He turned and stormed away. She had no choice but to follow him. She wondered if she should apologise, but everything she'd said had been true, and she'd had enough of apologising. It was his turn now.

"I don't hate you, either," he muttered.

The confession almost made her trip. "You don't?"

"You may be insufferable, but you haven't done anything to warrant hatred."

"I did burn you."

"My hand was around your neck at the time."

"So we're even?"

He glanced over his shoulder and stared at her. "It seems that way."

They followed the road south for the remainder of the night, retracing their steps to where Sesshoumaru had left the horses. Octavia hoped they were still there. It would make the journey north much faster if they were. The sun was rising by the time they arrived at the peach tree. They managed to find the road they'd been travelling on before she snuck off to find food, but the horses were nowhere to be seen. They'd either escaped their restraints or been taken.

"Fucking hell," she grumbled.

"My sentiments exactly," said Sesshoumaru.

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It took them an entire day and night to reach the border. Having been worn down by her nagging, Sesshoumaru showed her where it was. He watched her skip over the border and into the province of Izumo with a disinterested look on his face. At least it wasn't loathing.

She was getting used to his mannerisms. She still couldn't read him, but she understood him better now. His vacant expressions were actually moments of deep thought, and when he curled his lip, it usually meant he was frustrated about something. The more she discovered about him, the more normal he seemed. They weren't so different, him and her. Before, she'd interpreted his silence as him deeming her unworthy to speak to, but now, she understood that he just wasn't very talkative. He paid attention when she talked, though. She was often surprised by how intently he listened when she rambled on about trivial matters.

"What are we going to do once we reach the sea?" she asked. They were sitting by a pond, giving their aching feet a well-earned rest. Not that Sesshoumaru needed one. His stamina hadn't been affected by the absence of youki, so he could walk for days without stopping, but Octavia wasn't blessed with a Daiyoukai's endurance.

"We will acquire a ship and sail north," he answered.

"How, though? No one in their right mind is going to agree to take us somewhere that doesn't exist on any maps, and I doubt we have enough money to buy a boat. The only other option would be to steal one, but that's out of the question."

His eyes glinted.

"You've got to be kidding me."

"We would only be borrowing it."

"Oh, yeah? Are we going to 'borrow' a crew, as well? We can't run an entire ship by ourselves."

"You're overthinking it."

"No, I'm being realistic. Why don't we send a message to Inuyasha? He and Kagome might be able to make some arrangements—"

"Enough," he snapped. "We will do no such thing."

Octavia crossed her arms and frowned. "I know you said you couldn't be seen without your youki, but do you honestly think Inuyasha would kill you? Or is this about your pride?" He didn't reply. "It is, isn't it? You're used to him being weaker than you, but right now, you're vulnerable. You don't want him to see you like this because you can't stand the thought of him being the strong one."

"He will always be weaker than me. Nothing will change that."

"Why do you hate him so much?"

"That doesn't concern you."

"Is it because you wanted the Tessaiga?"

He pushed himself up from the ground and glowered at her from above. Octavia hadn't been able to stop thinking about what the Reikon Blade had shown her. She'd only seen a tiny portion of his mind, but what she'd seen haunted her. The bitterness was in her like a poison, and the resentment was a heavy weight on her shoulders. How had he carried it for so long?

"You weren't robbed of your inheritance," she said. "The Tenseiga is every bit as special as the Tessaiga. Even I can see that."

His eyes darkened. "You wanted rest, human. I suggest that you get some."

As he walked away, Octavia raised her voice and asked, "If you don't want the Tessaiga, what do you want?"

Sesshoumaru snorted. "As if I would tell you that."

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