InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ My Devotion ❯ Last Call to Arms, Last Chance for Love ( Chapter 28 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Author's Note: again, very sorry for the dely. I know it has been almost a year since my last update of this story but I've had SERIOUS writer's block. I don't think I have to say that twice. So, for anyone who is still with me this far: enjoy. I'm trying to end it soon because I don't want anyone else suffering suspense.

Last Call to Arms, Last Chance for Love

“Lord Sesshoumaru, I thought you were prided on your self control, were you not?”

He narrowed his eyes at her and said with only a hint of a growl in his voice, “I'm tolerating your presence here after the attack on my lands here aren't I, Queen of the Silk Worm Demons?”

A sly smile graced her lips…

“What is you purpose in coming here?” Sesshoumaru queried, trying to keep the hostility out of his voice. He knew that she had sent her warriors to slay his mate and he had a hunch that she was responsible for the Shades as well. If she was not behind it, then that meant other demons were becoming aware of the prophecy and its imminent conclusion.

“After the massacre of my best soldiers, my kingdom has been left weak. I realize now that my attempt to halt the prophecy was in vain. I am also aware now that it is well within your capabilities to wipe out my people as a whole if you so choose. I come to you, Lord Sesshoumaru, begging forgiveness, entreaty, and offering myself willingly if you will spare my people from your wrath.”

Sesshoumaru didn't believe her for an instant. He doubted she was even trying to look convincing about this. But that was fine with him. It mattered not to him whether or not she spoke the truth. The punishment he would deal would be the same. She had been behind the attempts on Rin's life. Just because she realized he was a threat was no reason to let down his guard, allow her to throw herself at his feet, and have him welcome her with open arms.

He should kill her at that very instant. She wasn't part of the council and didn't warrant its protection. Furthermore, he was perfectly within his rights. However, though her destruction would be sweet, it would better serve him to have the rest of her pitiful race exterminated along with her. Unfortunately, destruction on that scale needed the approval of the Council. So, for the time being he would have to hold her as his prisoner. And besides, if her other attacks were anything to go on, she was a coward who would rather put someone in her place to take the fall. That alone convinced him that someone else was in on whatever scheme she had plotted.

He began to circle her slowly. “I have no reason to believe you.”

“Perhaps not,” she remarked snidely, “but you'd be a fool to turn me away.”

He immediately struck her over the head, knocking her out. “Yes, well, you're probably right.”

Sesshoumaru dragged the disgusting pest back to his castle by her hair then dumped her at the feet of one of his guards.

“My Lord?” the young demon started to question as Sesshoumaru turned to leave again.

He didn't even stop to explain himself. It wasn't the guard's concern. He knew to lock her up and that was all he needed to know. The taiyoukai walked out across his lands again then caused a cloud to carry him across every inch of it. Lighting flashed in the sky and thunder rumbled as rain began to coat his hair in its moisture. He needed to think. Rin was still being completely unreasonable and disrespectful and Lord Sesshoumaru still had a bunch of annoying humans in his home. As he let the rain soak him through he tried to open himself to wisdom from the heavens if they might impart it upon him. He knew he should try to make amends with his wife, but refused to lower himself to that level. If there were some way he could make things as they were and still save face, he would do it in a heartbeat. Nothing came to him in the cold, wet, pitch-black. And with the arrival of the Silkworm Queen, the night had not gotten any easier.

Kagome got up from bed, InuYasha curled up beside her. She pulled on a silk robe made her way to the window. It was then that her mind came to the realization that she and InuYasha hadn't used protection. She hadn't even thought about it she had been so caught up in the moment. Kagome rested her head in her hands and shook it hard. This was bad. This was very, very bad and she had been stupid, stupid, STUPID! What would her mother say?

“Oh, Kami! Oh no…” she whispered to herself. “What if I'm pregnant?”

InuYasha rolled over and began to mumble in his sleep. His nose began to twitch as well. She cursed under her breath. She had completely forgotten about his keen since of smell which brought up another problem. Dog boy could probably smell all the intricate little hormonal changes she knew could be taking place within her. She doubted he could smell the baby but, a couple of weeks, he would and he would know. Even if InuYasha couldn't smell a child by that time, the baby's heartbeat would give her away.

As happy as the child made her, she doubted that dog boy was ready to deal with that kind of responsibility. And with the precarious state of their relationship—and it was precarious considering she couldn't remember the last time sex warranted a commitment—the last thing Kagome wanted was to make her…make him feel trapped and shackled to her. She needed time to make sure that what he felt for her was more than the kind of passion meant for a night. But the time she needed was suddenly time she didn't have. She wanted a commitment from him, but loved him too much to force him into that. She had three weeks at the most to discern his true feelings if she were pregnant. It would help if his sense of smell and hearing were not so keen, but what could she do about that? If there were only some way…

If anyone would know how to help, it would be Kaede. If only Kagome could speak to her. Kaede was a skilled priestess with experience enough to know how to control a demon. She may know how to get rid of senses. There was just one problem. Sesshoumaru couldn't let anyone leave and risk his mate's safety. Furthermore, there would be no way of getting a letter out as a result of the Western Lord's protectiveness. The best bet looked like it was going to be hoping and praying nothing resulted from their coupling. But there had to be some way to get that information. Perhaps…a library? She would ask Rin about it.

Kagome heard InuYasha move again and turned her head to check on him, then jumped at how close he was. He was right behind her, yawning and rubbing his eyes. He was very close and very naked.

“What is it?” he chuckled to himself.

“N-nothing! Nothing,” she said quickly, too quickly, then cleared her throat. “I mean, you startled me is all.”

Inuyasha wrapped his arms around Kagome because she was acting strange. He hoped to calm her, but she stiffened. InuYasha misinterpreted it to mean that last night wasn't as serious to her as it was to him or maybe she wanted to forget it. Maybe she regretted it.

Kagome cleared her throat again. “Does your brother have a library?”

“I don't know. I never lived here.” He pulled away and put on his clothes. “My father was better off without us anyway.”

“I don't think I know what you mean,” said she, though she knew full well.

“It was hard enough for me being what I am. Wouldn't have wanted to wish it on the old man either,” he scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest.

She turned over in her mind what he had said and couldn't help the fear that crept into her heart. If he regretted being born, what would he do if she werepregnant? Kagome began to dress herself for the day, choosing one of the kimonos that Rin had had put in the room. When she was done she caressed her lover's cheek and smiled at him slightly.

“I think I'll go ask about that library now.” Kagome paused briefly and tilted her head towards InuYasha before she walked out. “For what it's worth…I like you just the way you are.”

Shippo snuck into Souten's room and saw her lying in bed. He almost laughed at how ungraceful she looked spread-eageled over the bed on her back and her arm draped over her eyes. A thin line of drool was working its way down her cheek. At least, that was the first thing he noticed. After that, his eyes were more or less glued to the décolletage created by her loosened night kimono. And as she shifted in her sleep the kimono got looser and looser and the neckline plunged lower and lower until the cleavage was lost beneath the blankets.

And then, thank Kami, she kicked off the blankets and turned on her side, facing him as she slept. She let out a short snore then quieted down. It was adorable in an erotic sort of way, especially considering the way the front of her body was almost completely revealed to him. She had to be one of the most restless sleepers it had ever been his fortune to watch sleep because she lied on her back again in the same position he had found her when he walked in.

Shippo took a few tentative steps closer. He thought he would have learned by now not to sneak up on her or startle her in any way…or anger her, but he could not help himself. She was the flame and he the moth and though such a metaphor would suggest his fiery end, it also showed that he could not help himself. She did not wake and he made his way closer.

She was lying perfectly still when he tiptoed right next to the bed. Her hair was strewn out over the pillow messily but she was still completely adorable. He ran his fingers into her silky hair and then lifted it to his nose to inhale the scent. It smelled of sandalwood and vanilla. She turned her head to the side and put her finger in her mouth like she did when she was awake. A small smile tugged at her lips.

Suddenly, an idea occurred to Shippo. What could be better than waking up to his face? Perhaps he would kiss her and she would open her eyes lazily. Souten would be surprised at first, and then she would start to kiss him back and become the real live wire he knew hiding beneath her protective shell. She wouldn't be eager or complacent, but she would assert herself as he kissed her. Shippo had to shift his pants to a more comfortable position just because of where that kiss could lead. However, he wasn't willing to let his mind wander that far. Souten had agreed to be his, but that didn't mean she was ready to…yeah...

In any case, the fox demon slowly climbed into bed with her on his hands and knees. He stared down at her and was about to lean down for a good-morning kiss when she tried to turn over. Souten knocked into his arm, stopping abruptly and waking up. Her eyes quickly traced the circuit from an arm to a face. There was someone in her bed, holding her there.

“Morning, my—” She screamed and hit him in the face. He fell off the bed with a grunt. “My nose!”

Shippo tilted his head back and pinched the bridge of his nose to make sure the blood didn't get everywhere. Seconds later she realized it was only Shippo.

“Oh my god! Shippo, are you okay?” her eyes began to flare in that dangerously sexy way they always did before she was about to murder him. “What the hell were you doing in my bed?!”

Souten was confused and angry with him for sneaking up on her like that. That little pervert! She pointed two fingers at him and let electric energy crackle around them.

“Buttercup…” he pleaded.

“Get out! Now, or I'll shoot!” she told him in a no-nonsense type of voice. Her eyes were turning that electric blue they always did when she held back releasing energy.

Shippo slumped his shoulders in defeat and was about to slink away when he turned abruptly, grabbed Souten's hand and then kissed her full on the mouth. He felt sparks fly between their mouths and all at once everything was supercharged. Shippo could feel every hair on his body standing up and so could Souten. She had never been kissed on the verge of throwing off a bolt. She was pretty sure this was a dangerous thing to be doing, but it felt incredible. The electricity was flowing through her finger and through Shippo then back into her mouth as they kissed. Eventually most of the charge was lost in the air, so she pulled back from his mouth.

There was blood on her upper lip from his nosebleed so Shippo wiped it off.

“Oh gross!” she exclaimed. She got up to find a rag to wipe his nose with. “Why did you startle me like that?”

“Well it didn't really play out the way I thought. I was going to kiss you awake but you turned over. I didn't mean to scare you.”

Souten rolled her eyes and tried to fix her bed until she noticed Shippo's eyes fixed on her backside. She straightened immediately and snatched away the rag he was using for his nose.

“You're getting on my last nerve! Keep your eyes where they belong or I'll pluck them out of your pretty little head.”

Shippo smirked which just made her angrier. “So you think my head is pretty?”

She scowled.

“Okay, okay. I came here for a reason. I wanted to talk about our arrangement. When are you planning on consummating it?”

Souten sighed to herself and picked out a clean kimono to put on. “Why are you so eager?”

“Why aren't you so eager?”

“Oh, that's mature,” she reprimanded him, picking out the matching obi and trying to tie it in the back. Shippo came up behind her and took the obi from her hands.

“Let me,” he whispered against her neck. He wrapped his arms around her, stalling. “I may be over eager, but that's because I think about you all the time. Plus you make my foxfire burn if you know what I mean.” He laughed at the disgusted look on her face. “Just kidding. That's not all I want from you. I think you're a very independent person. Mating with me won't take that away. I don't want to take that away from you. It's what makes you so cute.” Just to make his point, he squeezed her and swung her from side to side like a teddy bear.

“Put me down!” she screeched.

Shippo laughed but did as she asked. He then leaned his chin on her shoulder and stared at her with pitiful eyes. “So, why are you hesitating? You know I'll do everything to make you happy.”

“Because I'm afraid.”

“Of what?”

“Of not knowing what to do, of doing it wrong. And I know there will be some pain. And if I let you—”

“I see…” Shippo finally understood. She was afraid of not knowing. And if she didn't know what to do she might do it wrong. And because she wanted to do it right, she thought that meant letting him take charge of everything. “Whenever we do it, whatever we do, it's on your terms.” Shippo kissed her neck. “I just want you to belong to me. We don't even have to if you don't want to.”

Shippo began to sway with her in his arms. There was no music, but she was still in sync with his rhythm. He entwined his fingers with her then slowly drew one of her arms out to its full length and then above her head. He used the other arm around her waist to spin her around. Souten kept swaying with him, and rested her hand on his shoulder, their bodies dangerously close.

“I love you Souten,” the fox whispered in her ear. “I love the way you stick that finger in the corner of your mouth. I love the way your eyes turn blue before you try and kill me.” She laughed and blushed all the way down her neck. “You're a tactical genius, an exceptional friend, and a devoted sibling.”

A comfortable silence spanned between them. Surprisingly, Souten was the one to break it. There was something about him that appealed to her. He might be a lecher, but he was honest. She knew she could trust him now more than ever. She knew that he didn't just want to use her and leave her. He wanted to stay with her for as long as she wanted him, and on her terms. That was a pretty nice offer.

“Can…can I kiss you?”

Shippo smiled and obliged her. And when their lips met, she focused on what she felt. It wasn't just lust coming from either end. It was a soft and tender kiss. It was loving and sincere. She ran her fingers into his hair and took out that ridiculous tie, letting his hair spill over her hands and his shoulders. He cupped her cheeks and tilted his head to the side, deepening the kiss they shared. Souten became overexcited and accidentally bit his lip with one of her fangs. She immediately pulled back. He cried out, startled, then moaned into her mouth.

“Shippo…” Souten panted, letting his lips play over her neck. “I'm ready…!” she cried out as his fangs scraped against the shoulder he'd revealed. He stopped abruptly.

“Are you sure…? You could be confused…I don't want you to have regrets.”

Souten chuckled to herself then kissed his ear. “So uneager so soon? No, I'm ready Shippo.”

Shippo growled lightly and pushed the kimono off her shoulders then picked her up and headed straight for the bed. He kissed her the whole way there then laid her down gently and began to undo her obi until she was naked before him. Her light bronze skin flushed with a blush as he leaned down to kiss her belly. She squirmed so deliciously beneath him. He didn't even bother taking off his clothes. He started kissing her all over: her belly, her hip, her thigh, her ribcage, the sides of her breasts, her shoulders and neck. The only sounds he could hear were those of her small catlike mewls.

“Don't tease me!” she pleaded. “Don't leave me this way.”

“I'll do whatever you want me to so long as you say please.” He murmured against her lips as he skimmed his hand down her body and between her legs.

As soon as he touched her, she cried out, “PLEASE!”

Shippo acquiesced to her demands all morning long.

Rin woke up and turned over to cuddle against Sesshoumaru. When she got a face full of pillow, she opened her eyes and sighed. So he hadn't come back last night. A tear rolled down her cheek but she wiped it away. Rin didn't like being angry with Sesshy. She had never argued with him like this, but she needed to. She was his mate. He could let down the mask with her and she would never tell, but he was acting so guarded, so…so mean!

The Lady sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. The babies kicked at her, which made her grunt lightly and chuckle. She rubbed her belly in slow circles then called for some servants to help dress her. When she wasn't quite so wide around the middle, she definitely would have dressed herself, but it was too difficult now. When they finished cleaning and dressing her for the day, Rin was all too aware that Sesshoumaru was still not back. It stung her pride. She wanted him back.

Rin lef the room and went to Sesshoumaru's study but he wasn't there. She went to the dining room and all of his favorite places. She went outside the castle walls even though she knew she wasn't supposed to. She couldn't find him anywhere that she thought he would be so she started asking the guards. Rin was completely aware that she came off as desperate, but she didn't care about that at all. All she wanted was to talk to Sesshoumaru. She had to make him understand how she felt and why she needed him to be open with her. But none of the guards had seen him since he left last night. And no one knew where he had gone.

Rin collapsed in bed after her long morning. Everything seemed to have gone so wrong. She was more or less nursing a broken heart. She just wanted to forget that she'd brought the whole thing up. Rin hadn't even eaten breakfast but she couldn't eat at a time like this. She was about to go to sleep again when someone knocked at the door.

“Come in!” she said quickly, excitedly. She combed her fingers through her hair and sat up straight. When the door opened, it was only Kagome.

“Oh,” she sighed. “Hello Kagome.”

“Sheesh. I feel the love. Should I come back?”

“No it's alright,” Rin assured her friend. “I just thought you were—”

“Sesshoumaru? Well it's not my place to say anything since InuYasha and I have our own problems, but…I guess…you know Sesshoumaru is prideful and stubborn. I wouldn't expect much from him.”

The Lady of the Western Lands shook her head. “It's between he and I. He'll come around eventually. He loves me that much, I'm sure. And if he doesn't, I'll be able to see how much he wants to. But anyways, what can I do for you Kagome-chan?”

“I wanted to know if you had a library.”

“The only scrolls are in Sesshoumaru's study. He doesn't really like anyone in there. I can get whatever you need,” she offered, putting aside her worries if only for a moment. She led Kagome towards the study and let her explain.

“I was looking for something on incantations. Specifically, I was wondering about how to dull a demon's senses.”

“I've seen some things on it. Demons have to deal with priestesses spells so my Lord had kept some scrolls like that. He's procured a few more since he figured out I was a miko. What did you need something like that for?”

“Um…well, in case we get attacked again…if I knew a spell like that, it could daze some of our enemies long enough to disable them.”

“Mmm-hmm…” Rin murmured skeptically, looking Kagome up and down. She was up to something. If she had known what it might be, she could have refused. But, because she did not, and had no more than a feeling to go on, she said, “Wait out here. I'll find what you need.”

Rin entered the study and closed the door. She walked over to his desk and ran her fingers over his quill. She stared at some letters he hadn't finished and some he hadn't sent with his perfect penmanship gracing all of it. Then she leaned against the back of his chair and breathed in his lingering scent before going to the shelves of scrolls. She sifted through them until she found a scroll that had something to do with priestess magic on demons. It required a certain amount of skill. She wasn't sure if Kagome possessed that kind of strength, but if she didn't, Rin could always help out.

“Here you go,” she smiled as she handed the text to her friend. “Let me know if you need anything else.”

“I will. Thank you so, so much.”

“By the way, you look especially…radiant today. I just thought I'd compliment you.”

Kagome smile and thanked Rin again before she headed down the hall, already looking through the scroll. Yep, Kagome was definitely up to something. Well, it wasn't any of the Lady's business. She went back inside her mate's study and sat down in his chair. At first she tried to sift through his papers to see if there was some indication of where he might have gone, but when there was nothing, she wondered if she ever expected anything to be there.

Rin grew quiet then burst into tears. “Where is he?”

The Queen of the Silkworm Demons came to from her unconsciousness slowly. She was walled in on all sides with steel covered stone. And because it was made by demons, it was made to hold demons. The door was heavy and thick. There was an opening in the top for the four guards stationed outside of her cell to watch her, and another ole at the bottom for her meals to be slid through.

At the moment she was chained to the wall by both her wrists and her throat. It wasn't the most comfortable of accommodations, but it would do for what she had in mind. Besides, at one point, the guards would either have to unchain her so she could eat or get close enough to feed her. That would be when she would act.

From above she heard the echoing sounds of sobs and with revenge in mind, she let her claws extend. She started scraping at the shackles on her wrists, letting her degenerating poison wear away at it in tiny rivulets. Everything was going just as she had planned. She only had to bide her time until the appropriate moment…

Author's Note: hope you enjoyed. I actually think I know where I'm going to go with this. And it should be over in 5 chapters or less, so not much more suspense. Hope it was good for you.