As Death Gives Life

Chapter 22 – The Havoc of Others

The sounds of deviant little snickers filled the room as the three little boys huddled together. “Did you remember to bring it?” one asked. “Of course! It took me two weeks to sneak this stuff from the old woman. Dad still doesn’t suspect a thing,” replied another. “Good. Then everything is set. Let’s have some fun,” said the ringleader of the trio.

Bunka, Bungo and Bunmei Teriyaki filed down the stairs and out into the gardens where they found their potential prey. Bunka glanced at his brothers, and Bunmei asked, “Are you sure this stuff works?” Bunka nodded. “I saw the old witch use it myself. Mom said that the bee’s had been scarce, providing no honey at all, and the old woman brought this out and sprinkled it around. In minutes honeybee’s were swarming the garden.”

Another round of boyish giggles followed and soon they were off to wreak havoc.

~~~***~~~

Kat was busy issuing goodbye hugs to her friends. Kagome made her promise that she would drag Inuyasha back soon from Kaede’s, along with Miroku, Sango and Kirara. Kat promised to do her best, but she couldn’t guarantee anything with Inuyasha. “I’ll do my best Kagome, but you know how stubborn Inuyasha is.”

Kagome frowned and shrugged her shoulders, “I know. Just tell him that I miss him, ok?”

“I’ll be as persuasive as I possibly can,” Kat said with a wicked smile and a wink of one magenta colored eye.

Kagome blushed three shades of red, but Rin and Shippo only laughed. Kagome was well aware of how persuasive Kat could be with Inuyasha. She wondered how well Inuyasha would enjoy Kat’s persuasive techniques? Something told her that those two were about to take their relationship to the next level.

She waved good-bye to Kat just before the lovely young demoness poured on the speed. In seconds she was gone from their sight, leaving behind nothing except a drifting trail of dust in the air.

“Come on Rin, let’s take a walk through the gardens before we head back inside,” Kagome said cheerfully as she dragged Rin’s smaller form toward the center of the lush patches of floral blooms. Rin giggled and Shippo fell in behind.

“Hey Shippo!” chimed a trio of young voices. Shippo turned around and waved awkwardly at the young lords of the North. “Konnichiwa,” he replied.

“Wanna play chase?” Bunmei asked the fox boy. Shippo turned to Kagome who smiled and waved him away. Shippo said, “Sure!” and took off after Bunmei and the others.

Kagome and Rin watched as the boys chased each other around the courtyard laughing and enjoying life. It was refreshing to be out of the castle for awhile and the garden smelled as wonderful as it looked. Rin pointed out various species of flower and Kagome found that she was very impressed with the girls’ knowledge of flora. She was also very impressed with Sesshomaru.

Through all the years of battling with, and against the demon lord, Kagome never once imagined him ruling over such a magnificent place. It was obvious that the cold taiyoukai held a love for beautiful things. He was literally surrounded by beautiful courtyards, statues and various types of native plants. Even the interior of his palace was beautifully done with bright whites and crisp accent colors.

“AAEEEEEKKKKK!!!!!”

Kagome’s thoughts on Sesshomaru were ripped away when she heard the screaming cry of her little Shippo. Immediately she took off in a run with Rin close behind her. ‘Stupid Kimono’s’ she grumbled as her slender legs carried her ever closer to the frantic cries of the young fox.

Just past a grove of cherry tree’s Kagome caught sight of Shippo running around frantically in circles. He was screaming to the top of his lungs, but finally caught sight of the miko. “Bee’s!!! Help!!! Kagome, bee’s are attacking me!!!”

Sure enough there was more than a dozen honey bee’s racing after Shippo’s fluffy tail as his short little leg’s carried him just beyond the reach of the stinging insects. The poor boy was beyond panic. Then she noticed gales of youthful laughter. Over to the side, just beyond a large statue of a fierce looking dog, Kagome saw the three young sons of the Northern Lord rolling about the lush green grass amidst near hysterical joy. She looked back to poor Shippo racing about just beyond the rapidly growing number of honeybees.

It became suddenly very clear that the triplets were somehow behind this whole affair, but now was not the time to waste on that. She had to help Shippo. Kagome raced toward the fox and screamed, “Shippo! Run for the fountain! Jump in the water, Shippo! Hurry!”

The fox kit was frantically trying to avoid being stung by the growing horde of insects, but he acknowledged Kagome’s advice and took off toward the fountain, where he took one giant leap, landing with a huge splash in the middle of the shallow pool. The water was just deep enough to submerge his body, and he held his breath out of fear that the bees were awaiting his rise from the crystal clear depths.

Once Shippo dunked himself into the pool of water the bee’s swarmed about briefly and then flew off in different directions. Still Shippo didn’t come up for breath and without a thought Kagome jumped into the pool and made a grab for the fox kit, dragging him up for air.

Shippo was gasping for breath and shaking like a leaf. He was all wet and his fluffy fur was now stuck to his body giving him the impression of a drowned rat. “Oh Shippo, are you alright?” Kagome asked with concern. “Um, yeah. Thanks Kagome,” Shippo replied. He shrugged his shoulders and said, “I don’t know what happened. One minute we were playing and the next minute those bee’s were out for my hide!”

More gales of laughter burst through the courtyard and Kagome narrowed her eyes upon the three young chicks. “I think I have a pretty good idea, Shippo. Why don’t you run along and dry your clothes. I have something that I need to do.”

“Sure Kagome, and thanks for the help,” Shippo said as he gave her neck a squeeze. Kagome returned the hug and helped Shippo out of the pool. She herself climbed out of the water, now soaking wet, but never once removed her blazing blue eyes from the chicks who were just beginning to realize that the jig was up.

Rin stood by watching the scene with concern. “Are you alright Kagome? You didn’t get stung did you?”

“No Rin, thanks. I’m fine. You will have to excuse me a minute. I need to speak to Sesshomaru.” Kagome turned away and headed for the castle. Rin watched her go, and almost stopped her. Something told her that Kagome was very angry though, so she decided that it would be best to hold her concern about the white kimono. Now that it was wet she could see right through the thing.

Kagome was furious. How dare those little imps do that to Shippo! He was only trying to play and have some fun with them. She knew darn well that they had something to do with the bees, and by Kami Sesshomaru was going to hear about it. She refused to have those spoiled little brats pulling their dangerous pranks on her friend!

Sesshomaru was sitting in his study going over several documents concerning the attack on Lord Teriyaki. It seemed that his men had tracked the assassin into the mountains near the East. The last message sounded very positive, and he held hopes that they would return any time with the one responsible. Of course he would then have to extract the information from the traitor as to who was behind this whole affair. Until then he could not be rid of his current houseguests.

His personal world of scrolls and paperwork was rudely interrupted by the sudden approach of the miko. She did not even stop to knock or announce herself in the least before she flung his study door open and stepped inside.

Soaking wet.

Before he could utter a word she began a tirade of angry accusations. “Sesshomaru! You listen to me. I will not stand for those three hellions dangerous pranks on Shippo! Do you hear me? I will not stand for it! Those little buggers just set a slew of stinging insects on poor Shippo after they tricked him into playing with them!”

“And my assumption, by the look of your clothing, is that you both jumped into the fountain.” Sesshomaru said without so much as batting an eye. Her eyes flashed dangerously and he thought for a moment that they glowed a strange pink. Perhaps he was mistaken.

“Well what was we supposed to do?! Shippo would have been stung had he not jumped into the water!” Kagome stomped her foot for emphasis while her hands grasped her narrow hips angrily.

“So you have barged into this Sesshomaru’s private sanctuary in order to demand that I pronounce punishment on these fiends?”

Kagome tilted her head suspiciously. She wasn’t really sure what she expected, but his droll sarcasm wasn’t really it. “Well I... I don’t know, but you should do something! This is your palace after all.”

Each drip of water from her drenched clothing resounded in his head like a chiming bell as it steadily hit his woven rug. The wench was soaking his study. His eyes traveled over her form. She was sturdy in her resolve to seek justice for her kit. So much so that she did not care what-so-ever that she was ruining a priceless piece of art beneath her feet. Nor did she notice that the silk of her mostly white kimono was clinging to every curve and dip of her mortal body.

Her nipples were taught and pushing against the thin fabric leaving little to the imagination. The dark twin peeks aroused more than a little of his interest. Her narrow ribcage added to the fullness of her breasts, and he could feel his manhood twitch to life.

Living with this woman was proving to be a living hell. He should be squeezing the life out of her right this minute, but instead his cock was rising to the occasion leaving his good sense by the wayside.

He found that he was even attracted to her anger. The miko was positively fearless when her temper flared. She stood before him, the most feared taiyoukai in all of Japan, flashing her angry sapphire eyes while demanding justice for her fox kit. No human in all of his centuries had ever had such resolve. Once they knew what he was, mortals were stricken with fear of him, but not this one.

For a moment Sesshomaru did not reply or make a move. He was trying desperately to will the hardness between his legs to subside, but his traitorous eyes would not look away from the drenched picture before him.

Something weird was going on. She was sure of it. After all the ranting she had just done she expected.... well, she wasn’t really sure what she expected, but this was most definitely not it. Sesshomaru was still sitting behind his desk staring at her. Staring at her? She followed his golden eyes and suddenly became painfully aware of exactly what he was staring at. Her breasts! Her kimono was clinging to them like a transparent second skin!

The minute that she realized what he was looking at, he knew. His study was suddenly awash with the scent of her embarrassment and something else. Something enticing. Something that made the throbbing between his legs turn into a fierce need.

“Sesshomaru may I have a word....” Lord Teriyaki stopped mid-sentence when he realized what he had interrupted. Sesshomaru looked ready to pounce and the miko... well, the miko looked very delicious. His eyes slowed down and he took in the soft pink blush covering the onna’s lovely face. He followed the flush down to the top of her kimono where it disappeared only to be thinly veiled beneath wet clinging silk. The rise of her full breasts caught his attention and firmly held it there. Each breath she took brought the mounds upwards as if begging to be touched.

A deep menacing growl snapped Buhito back to reality. He managed to pull his eyes away from the maiden’s pert tempting breasts to find Sesshomaru standing possessively over her with a look of promised death in his eyes. Buhito promptly cleared his throat and issued his apologies for barging in.

Sesshomaru found that it was less than acceptable to watch the Northern Lord ogling Kagome’s body. It brought out a deep instinct to rip the gizzard right out of the roosters’ throat. Without hesitation he led Kagome past the other male and out of his study. “Kagome, you will go change into something dry this instant. I will see to the problem at hand.”

Kagome was too distraught to say another word. She couldn’t look him or Lord Teriyaki in the eyes. It was all too obvious what the males were looking at and the mere thought of her stupidity brought another mad rush of red up to her cheeks.

Sesshomaru watched her walk away noticing all too clearly the sway of her hips and the outline of her rounded bottom beneath the wet kimono. It left little to the imagination, but enough that he wanted to see more. A maddening thought. How could he find this infuriating ningen attractive? It was most infuriating, and when he caught sight of Buhito watching her feminine retreat, he was even more infuriated that the wench could fuel flames of possessiveness in him.

She was not his! She was just a mortal wench burdening his household with her presence! Nevertheless, he snarled at the rooster, promptly snapping the fowl out of his musings, before motioning for the youkai to join him in his study.

Buhito found Sesshomaru’s actions toward his ward rather puzzling. He had often heard rumors in the past of the Western Lord’s hatred for humankind. Then several years ago he became aware that the powerful taiyoukai had taken a human child under his protection. Now he discovers a delightful human female treat living within the taiyoukai’s castle walls. A pregnant treat at that.

Was the pup in her womb that of Lord Sesshomaru? The couple did not seem to be intimately knowledgeable of one another, but there was no doubt that she carried a powerful offspring in her pouch. Had the taiyoukai been partaking in her mortal pleasures? A smirk curved his lips at that thought. Perhaps he could have a bit of fun with this?

Once the rooster was seated and Lord Sesshomaru as well, the two lords fell into a silent pondering. Sesshomaru, concerning his outrageous reactions to that accursed mortal female, and Lord Teriyaki who was planning a friendly inquiry.

“I would ask, Lord Sesshomaru, if the miko is with child.” He knew very well that she was, but he was more interested in the taiyoukai’s reaction to his question than the answer.

Curse it all. He knew this was coming. The bird was just too nosey for his own good. Anything he said was going to be relayed to that infernal clucking hen that Buhito called a mate, and in no time at all his personal business would be spread far and wide. Lady Chika was well known for her love of gossip. With a resigned sigh, Sesshomaru pulled together his stoic mask of indifference before answering with a simple, “Hai. She is.” The rooster did not seem surprised at all and he suspected the bird already knew very well that Kagome was with pup.

Buhito decided to press just a little more at great risk to his tail-feathers, for Sesshomaru was not one to take teasing or invasion of privacy lightly. “Hn... I see. I sense great power in the pup. For what reason has the father abandoned his offspring?” Ah, a perfectly laid trap. Were Sesshomaru the father he would become angry at the assumption that he had abandoned his pup, but if he were not then perhaps he would offer more of an explanation.

“It is none of your concern,” Sesshomaru answered curtly with narrowed golden eyes. The look was a clear warning not to continue this route of questioning.

The rooster sighed. Sesshomaru was not one to speak freely of his personal affairs, and by the look he just received, it would be unwise to pursue it further. Mayhap his darling Lady Chika could find out more? She was very adept at going after the truth behind any story of interest. He would have to speak with her later about the miko.

After assuring himself that the rooster was going to let the questions about Kagome lie for now, he decided that it would be a prudent time to confront him about his children’s mischief. “Lord Teriyaki, it has come to my attention that your children have gotten into a bit of mischief, causing the miko and her fox kit some distress. Something to do with a swarm of honeybee’s.”

Lord Teriyaki sat up in mild alarm, silently cursing his rambunctious chicks. They had not even been here for two whole days and already the boys were wreaking havoc. After a deep sigh, he replied, “My deepest apologies to you for the trouble that they may have caused. It appears that the tricksters have struck again, but there is no excuse for the disturbance to your house. I will speak to them on the matter.”

“Hn...” Sesshomaru replied before pulling forth a stack of papers concerning any number of suspects that could have orchestrated the attack upon the rooster’s house. Before the two could begin getting down to business, Jaken came bursting into the room. “My Lord! My Lord! The tracking party has returned with the assassin!”

At once Sesshomaru and Buhito were on their feet and out the door with Jaken scuttling along behind them. In minutes Sesshomaru exited the castle and found his hunters awaiting him. There on the ground with each of his arms being supported to hold his upper body, was the bloody figure of the assassin.

Sesshomaru looked to the rooster at his side with one elegantly arched brow. “A fox youkai? Let us see what this fox has to say.” The demon lord returned his attention to his men. “Take the prisoner to the dungeon, and leave him. Lord Teriyaki and I will personally extract the information.” Once his men were out of hearing distance he turned to the rooster. “Could he be from the fox clans of the South?”

Buhito sighed and said, “I fear it is so, but there are many such fox assassins. They are sought out for their skill at stealth and trickery. Their sly nature makes them a perfect choice for the dirty job.”

Sesshomaru made no response, but considered this new information silently for a brief moment. If the Southern Lord had sent an assassin to the doors of his allies in the North, then he would be obligated to seek justice on their behalf. He did not seek a war, however. Youkai wars were especially brutal and cost many good youkai their lives.

Pushing these thoughts aside, Sesshomaru decided to hold onto his concerns until they could be sure. There was no since in strategizing without the proper knowledge to back up the suspicions. With a slight motion for the Northern lord to follow, Sesshomaru made his way to his dungeons.

He could use an outlet for his frustrations. It appeared that the assassin would serve a duel purpose during his short stay here. The pain of an enemy always had a way of relaxing him. A wicked smirk curved the lip of the pale taiyoukai. He hoped the assassin was a strong one.

~~~***~~~

It was becoming unhealthy. This insane urge to look into the mirror. Anubis turned and walked away from the swirling mass of color. Each and every time that he had peered into the mirror’s depths, he came away feeling a strange pain in his gut. A tightness in his broad chest. Long ebony hair swayed with his frustrated movements, and crystal blue eyes narrowed in deep thought.

Taking Kagome to the taiyoukai had been a mistake. He was sure of it now. Though he offered the most efficient protection from enemies, Lord Sesshomaru was a bigger threat to him than any other. Keeping Kagome safe was the only charge that Sesshomaru had to uphold, but with each look into the mirror he discovered that the taiyoukai was more interested in Kagome than simply as his ward.

Yes, it was true that several times he found her alone or in the company of the fox child, as well as the human girl, Rin, but the few occasions that he found her much too close to Sesshomaru sent his blood boiling through his veins. Could it be that he had deeper feelings for the onna than he wished? Was that the reason for this dull ache whenever he found her near, or even worse, in the arms, of the taiyoukai?

“Old friend. What is it that troubles you so?” Thoth asked from behind Anubis. He had been watching the unusual behavior of his long time friend since his return from Earth’s surface. Something was not sitting well with the inu, distracting him from his eternal duties. His actions were curt and edgy, which was highly unusual for the ever-calm Anubis.

A deep sigh escaped the lips of the elegant InuGod. Absently his clawed hand made its way through his mass of silken hair. He pulled his blue gaze from the floor and met the concern in the eyes of his longtime friend. “It is the girl. I never intended to feel this way about her.”

“Ah. I see...” Thoth replied. “It is a hopeless matter, dear friend. You do understand that, do you not?”

Anubis looked angry for a moment. “And why is it hopeless?” he snapped, but all the while he knew. He knew that he had to shake this feeling. It went against the laws of nature. He is a God, while she is a mere mortal bound to Earth. Perhaps he simply needed time. Time to get over this ridiculous feeling of possession.

Thoth studied his friends’ moody response. It would appear that Anubis had inadvertently grown quite fond of the human girl, Kagome. Her position of one chosen to bare a demi-God has escalated into something more. A dangerous game to play, indeed. He would have to tread lightly here. “Anubis, your world is much different than hers. She could not survive here, and yet we can not survive without you here.”

With a frustrated shake of his head Anubis said, “I am very aware of this Thoth, but the clenching of my gut does not leave me with that piece of knowledge. Each time that I find the taiyoukai looking upon her with lust in his eyes I feel the need to wreak destruction upon the Earth.”

“Hmm. Then perhaps you should remove her from the taiyoukai until such time as these feelings disperse.” Thoth supplied with deep concern. An angry InuGod could be a dangerous force unleashed upon the world.

Anubis looked up shaking his head angrily. “This I have considered, dear friend, but her safety and that of my child is of the utmost importance. My search for one stronger than Lord Sesshomaru has been fruitless. There is none on the isle of Japan who holds equal strength.”

Thoth considered this knowledge. The taiyoukai must be powerful indeed to gain such an honor in the eyes of Anubis. “Could it be that one from another place holds the strength to keep her safe?”

“It could, but Kagome is strong willed, and may not agree to such a move.” Anubis replied.

Now this was new. Anubis was actually taking into considerations the feelings of a mortal girl? It could only mean that his feelings for her ran deep. “Then perhaps a word of caution issued to the taiyoukai is in order,” Thoth supplied. “I would suggest that you speak to Lord Osiris, old friend. Request from him a short time of leave that you can settle these problems that plague you so.”

Anubis cocked his head thoughtfully to the side while he considered the advice of his friend. Perhaps Thoth was right? If he were to return to the Earth, and the castle of the demon lord, then he could advise Sesshomaru of the folly in becoming close to his chosen female. He put a solid hand on the shoulder of his closest friend. “Thank you old friend. I shall seek the council of our Lord Osiris at once.”

~~~***~~~

A/N: Hi everyone! Just wanted to thank you all for the great reviews and support!