Fallen

Chapter 23

Moonlight streaming through familiar slats in wooden shutters startled Sesshomaru in to wakefulness. The sounds of the shiro awakening with alarm made him frown in thoughtful puzzlement. Was he back? He wondered as he climbed from his bed and reached for his clothes. He froze mid reach as a booming boisterous voice reached his ears. “Father is in quite a mood.” he mused before his mind caught up with him, his father had been dead a couple of centuries now. Where was he?

Dressing swiftly Sesshomaru followed his father's retreating figure and the splotches of crimson on the snow. His father stopped at the waters edge and drew a deep breath.

“Sesshomaru, have you someone to protect?”

Memories swirled through Sesshomaru's mind at his fathers question. In his memory He could hear his own answer tinged with the bitterness and scorn of his youth. But he paused before he spoke. Closing his eyes Sesshomaru felt the warmth in his chest as he finally broke the silence. “Yes father.” he stated simply.

Slowly his father turned. “Protect her then Sesshomaru. Kagome is a rare treasure. Don't lose her.”
Sitting up suddenly Sesshomaru drew a deep breath. “A dream?” he asked as he looked around him. Though the darkness would have been disabling to human eyes he could see perfectly and his senses were on full alert. Reaching to the side where Kagome should have been he confirmed the feeling that had woken him. Kagome was gone. Why hadn't the spell taken affect? Shouldn't he have been pulled to her side?
It only took a moment for the reality to clear his groggy thoughts to crystal clear wakefulness and only an instant more for him to become furiously angry that she was gone and from the scents in the room not of her own choosing. Whom ever had taken her would suffer, he decided silently as he moved through the vacant hallways following her delicate scent.

A sudden frown marred his features as a unpleasant scent reached his sensitive nose. He recognized the scent and a low growl slipped from his lips, what was he doing where ever they'd ended up? Instant heat burned through his veins and his blood began to boil with the idea of avenging his priestess. Now the fool had taken his miko and he would not live long enough to regret it. Acid began to drip from his claws as a cruel smirk curled his lip. Oh yes killing him would be a pleasure he was not going to miss...

A sudden thought had Sesshomaru pausing in his stride. If the fool male was here he was going to have to tread carefully he did not know exactly where Kagome was and if he was not careful he could end up getting them both killed. He was disconcerted to discover that Kagome was no where near but he was not foolish enough to believe that they were not still bound just as closely.

A quiet clearing of a throat had him turning to face the maker of the sound. He frowned slightly as he eyed the young man who was kneeling at his feet trembling. Sesshomaru turned his back to ignore the human but the boy spoke. “Forgive me my Lord. I did not mean to see.” Sesshomaru frowned a little deeper as he tried to fully comprehend what the boy might have seen, then he realized. The boy must have seen him a moment before as he’d lost control for a moment. “Boy, why do you refer to me as Lord?” he asked deciding that this was a good way to learn more about the place he and Kagome had ended up.

Trembling the boy looked up at the mysterious silver being who was looming over him. “Forgive me, I saw that you are not human and therefore must be a god. My Lord if you have no one else to do so I humbly offer my assistance to you. I know many things about this land and its customs though I am not old or wizened like the priests or the grand Advisor.” He paused and waited for some type of an answer to his offer but the silver being said nothing as he studied the youth. Finally he gave a slight nod. “My lord forgive me for asking but where do you come from? I have never seen a being such as magnificent as you.”

Sesshomaru bit back a groan as he was reminded of the toad demon Jaken who followed him everywhere with a look of utter devotion on his ugly green face. Though an excellent servant Jaken was incredibly annoying with all his groveling and mooning over him. Another creature like that was not what he needed though he could not deny that having a guide through this place would be very helpful. “How many years are you boy?” he asked instead.

“The mighty river has overflowed her banks nineteen times since I was born. This summer will be my twentieth.” he replied proudly standing before the mighty god like creature as he had gradually lost his fear of him though he knew better than to lose his awe of the being or his respect.

Sesshomaru’s eyes widened a minute fraction in surprise as he looked at the youth. Apparently the boy had a back bone and that gained him a small amount of Sesshomaru’s approval.
“Boy do you have a name?”
“Yes they call me Ammon my Lord.”
“Ammon, do you by chance know where they have taken my companion?” the word burned in his mouth but he could not risk anyone finding out the relationship that he had with Kagome. He was certain that he was going to make many enemies and he was not going to allow any harm to come to his lover. Especially since he had no gotten the chance to tell her what the mark meant.

Cobalt eyes searched uselessly in the darkness for some sign of where she was. Cold metal shackles bit in to her wrists above her head and bits of loose stone dug in to her bare knees. “Sesshomaru?” she whispered as she reached out with her reiki to locate him. With shock she began to tremble. She couldn't feel any youki at all.

Had the spell been broken? Was this her punishment for daring to love a youkai lord? Were the kami's angry with her now that she was no longer pure? Frowning at her thoughts she shook her head to banish them. She had already accepted the consequences of her actions long before she'd ever laid with him. Even if this was punishment nothing could take from her the joy she'd found in his caresses and kisses. Besides she reminded her self silently, Sesshomaru would never break a vow.

Breathing deeply to calm her lingering fears she reached for the bond and found it still intact but recoiled for a moment from the fury she felt from him. Just as suddenly as it had come the anger was reduced to a slow simmer. He was coming for her with his full strength whom ever had chained her was going to die, slowly it seemed but death was coming for them. Closing her eyes she flared her power like a beacon to give him a way to find her. Soon he would be there and she would be safe in his arms, she smiled softly in the waning dark. Soon...

“Ah, I had forgotten how brightly thou dost shine, my goddess.”

Kagome felt the hairs on the back of her neck prickle at the sound of the voice that was far to close to her for comfort. It wasn't possible. How had he gotten to where the kami's had sent them this time? In the brilliant light of her power she could see him leaning casually against the wall. His eyes watching her hungrily though his lips were turned down in a frown of displeasure.

“It is a pity about thine consort though. I am certain that his last thoughts will be of thee as will it be thy name upon his dying breath. The pharaoh doesn't like competition and deals with any opposition in a swift thorough manor.” he said drawing a finger a crossed his throat to illustrate.

Kagome met his green eyes with a look of fury and confidence. “You have no idea the power Sesshomaru has. In my tongue his name means 'Killing perfection' and he lives up to it. You are a coward and a fool if you think mere humans can harm him. All you have done though is to give him and reason to fight, and if you think you saw the extent of his powers in Atlantis you are a fool Calix.”

“You surprise me Lady, I never imagined that thou would remember a lowly mortal such as I. As for thy 'Killing perfection' if he can bleed he can die.” he said running his long fingers through his blond hair. “Besides,” he added in a bored tone “ I am not with out power of my own. Though nothing as grand as thine I have been gifted by a being quite unlike any other.”

Kagome never heard more of the power he boasted of for at that moment the foundations and the ground shook with the terrible unearthly power of Sesshomaru throwing open the doors of her cell. The sound made Calix run in terror as he faded back in to the shadows. However it made Kagome smile brightly for her lover had come for her. Kagome’s heart skipped a beat as her gaze landed on the smoldering blood red of his eyes.