Chronicles of the West

Sprite in next chapter, get it lemon and lime...sprite. Ok ok, lame. Enjoy.

Chapter Twenty Nine

To say that things were tense for the next week would have been a gross understatement. Silvana, while pleased that Ryu had admitted his feels was upset that he refused to act on them, out of what he considered 'her best interests'. Still, she understood that there would be no progress until he could see for himself that people didn't decide for her.

Aislin had sought her out to tell her tearfully of what had transpired with Toga and females by nature stuck together when men presented problems. Toga had spoken at length with Kurama and Ryu regarding her words. Shippo decided that he would stay out of it, Victor assured him that was for the best. Hormones, he explained, were unstable substances and caused significant reactions.

Kurama shook his head at Toga, "Idiot, your family is cursed I swear" he said at last. Two pairs of golden eyes widened at his words. Kurama held his hands up, "Ok, so only your father and mother were actually cursed, but the fact remains that pride is the obstacle of this family. Ryu, you want Silvana but you are determined to show everyone else that you are the best match for her. Why? It isn't them that needs convincing"

Toga nodded at the sage advice, "And you Toga, you love your little mortal female more that you wish to admit. You must be honest with yourself. You want her to be free to choose, but clearly she already has. She may not have had her sight but she did interact with other males. Males who were interested in her. She paid them no mind".

Toga blinked. Who the hell? Before he could ask, Ryu slapped him on the back, "I wish I had your problems. They'd be easy to handle" he joked causing Toga to growl at him. Kurama, at his wit's end threw his hands up, "Get out" he barked, "You both have the same problem and now my head aches from beating against your dull wits. Out. Out!"

The silver kitsune held his head and glared at them. Thank the powers that be that he had no such problems to face. An image rose in his mind, unbidden. Silver hair and laughing green eyes, a soft smile and a sharp tongue. He slammed the door and leaned against it. Taisha. How she plagued his thoughts.

He repressed the urge to groan. He wanted the stubborn to her soul female. Was it more than that? He couldn't certain. He recalled the passing decades. The little flame haired human that had become so dear to him. He recalled his kiss to her in a garden and the subsequent encounter with Sesshoumaru following.

His heart would always keep a young Ayeka locked within. He had loved her, still loved her. But not in that way. Kurama was more than aware of his power over females and yes, he'd used that kiss to show her that her heart lived elsewhere. He'd known it, in the soft glances and hot glares she shot at the dog prince. Now, he looked at her child, one so much younger than himself and felt….need.

She was something special, Taisha was. A born Taiyoukai, powerful and bright and vibrant. Her father's cool mannerisms and her mother's carefree heart. A body anyone would want to possess, but she had something far more challenging that held the attention of the thief. Inner fire.

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Aislin stood on the deck, staring out at moonlight on water. The cool air brushing over her upturned face. Her heart was filled with questions and doubts. The sound of steps approaching drew her from her reverie and she turned wide eyes on the figure climbing the wooden steps. A high silver ponytail came into view and she blinked as golden eyes locked with hers.

Toga stared at the object of his thoughts. Since leaving Kurama's cabin he'd been considering his many options. She looked so small, wrapped in a billowing cloak against the chill of the sea air. Her long hair was caught up in a thick braid, much like Ryu's.

Stray strands swirled around her face, curling slightly with the damp. "Hello Toga" she said softly. He said nothing and she felt her chest constrict. She'd been wrong. She should have never spoke as she had. Everything was damaged now. It was her fault. She looked away, feeling moisture sting her eyes.

He watched the silver moonlight caress her profile, his demon eyes not missing the droplets that appeared at her lash line. She turned from him, pulling the cloak closer to her, "Good night" she whispered back to him and moved away from him.

Toga caught her from behind, pulling her back against the harness of his chest. She stiffened for a moment before her body relaxed back against him. He was stronger than her and she was no fool. For long minutes, they stared out at the open water, silent guardians of the night.

Aislin cursed herself for being so weak when it came to him. She should pull away and go to her cabin, flop around on her bed like a fish out of water and try to get comfortable enough to sleep. Not that it would happen. She felt Toga's hands at her waist, heard his steady heartbeat behind her.

"We will reach the ports soon?" she asked. Toga inhaled her scent on the air, "Not soon enough for my liking" he admitted. She nodded, falling quiet again. Toga was at war with himself. He had things he wanted to say, wanted to do, and no right to either of them.

"Forgive me" she whispered, and he looked down at her. "I should not have acted as I did. I have only ever been a burden to you. Another task to see to. You have been so kind to me, and I have been a fool. I understand now". Toga turned her in his arms, and she stared at his chest.

"What is it that you have come to understand?" he asked her softly. She would not look at him and he curled a clawed finger beneath her chin forcing her to meet his eyes. Being so close to her, looking at her in this way made him only want to drop his lips to hers. To ravish and mark and have.

Golden eyes searched violet. "Tell me" he commanded. She tried to lower her eyes but he'd not allow her. "I know that you care for me only as a ward and that you will keep to your own kind" she whispered. Toga stared at her, letting her words sink in. "You think that I want a demoness?" he asked. She nodded, "You have had Silvana in your bed. The other woman too. You have had many" her words slipped from her lips as tears slipped over her cheeks.

Toga felt distinctly uncomfortable, he had thought he was discreet enough not to bother her, and once he'd had his heart bared by Silvana, he'd taken no more women to his bed. She knew. He had the good graces to looked pained. Her eyes were sad and resigned. "What do I have that could ever compare to them?" she asked, more to herself than him.

Her question angered him, and he shook her lightly, "Do not speak such things. You have a great deal to offer." he admonished her. She met his eyes unwaveringly, her hand straying to touch his face, "If that were so, then you would have come to me and not them" she pointed out. Her tone was not angry, not fiery. Not what he would have preferred.

"Is that what you wanted?" he asked her, growling softly, "For me to come to you in my heat, and take you without regard? To use you? To throw your virtue aside as if it were nothing? What of the future? When you leave me and marry? How would your husband feel knowing that a demon had taken his wife?".

She pulled herself from his arms, "Suddenly virtue has meaning in your eyes" she whispered. Her statement told him that she knew that he had done such a thing to Silvana. "Virtue has meaning with you" he corrected her. She blinked up at him, "No. You just didn't want to maul a blind woman" she told him. He blinked, stunned at her words, angry again.

"I want you Aislin, more than anything, but that is not for me to decide. I fought for your sight so that you can make the choice for yourself. You might think you care for me but what if reach my home and someone captures your heart?" he demanded. She shook her head, "It's already been done" she told him firmly, "You want my body". Her words tinged with hurt.

Toga snarled at her pinning her to the wall, "I want your heart!" he snapped at her, fangs clicking shut inches from her face. Her eyes were wide as she stared up at him, a softness filling her features. "I want your heart" he said again, softer this time, "But I will not allow you to feel that it is owed to me".

Aislin twisted in his grasp, pulling herself close to him. His head bowing to keep hold of her eyes. She slid her hands against his nape, "I owe you my life" she whispered to him, watching his eyes close in defeat, "My heart is my gift to you". Golden eyes opened and locked with hers once more.

She felt his arms tighten around her waist and leaned up to pressed a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth. "I very much doubt that there is anyone in all the world that is your equal" she whispered to him. Her words filling his head with dark thoughts, lustful yearnings.

"I will not take your innocence" he said, "Not until I know that you are content to be mine. That will take time". She smiled up at him, "Then don't take it, Silvana says that waiting can make it much better. I don't understand that, I thought mating hurt". Toga smiled softly against her lips, eyes locked so closely. "The taking of virginity can hurt, but there are other… more pleasant things" he whispered to her.

She blinked in confusion and he tilted his head, to fuse their lips together in a heated kiss. She wanted to be his. His inu demanded he fulfill that desire. He shoved it back viciously, he couldn't have her, but she could have him, until he knew that she was ready. He smirked at the thought, even as his tongue lightly stroked against hers.

He drew back and she panted for breath, the blush on her cheeks, making him smile. She noted the wicked gleam in his eyes and swallowed. "Do you understand what I mean?" she asked. He nodded, "You want to let me wait until I am certain that you truly desire to be with me". She nodded, a smile appearing on her face. He pulled her closer again, "I am curious Aislin" he said and she looked up at him in question.

"About what?" she asked breathlessly. He leaned down to brush his nose along hers, "Will you wear my mark again?" he asked. She blushed and nodded slowly. He grunted, "That brings me to my next curiosity" he said. She peered up at him, he grinned down at her before whispering, "To see how far that blush of yours goes"

She gasped but he was already tugging her along toward his cabin. So he couldn't leave a permanent mark, but he could bind her to him with pleasure and scent and those thoughts appealed to him greatly. "Where are we going?" she asked. Toga kept walking, "To bed, you sleep with me from now on" he replied.

She felt her cheeks warm but she didn't hesitate. "But you said-" she began and he cut her off, "That I wouldn't take your innocence. I'll just tarnish it a bit". She felt her eyes go wide, "What does that mean? We will - ". He chuckled, "Do nothing you don't want and avoid a few that you do" he told her.

How odd, he thought as he moved them toward his cabin. He'd been arguing about past lovers and expected her hurt to wash over him. It teased at the edges of his senses and he suspected that Silvana had eased a great deal of it. He'd thank her in the morning. Right now, he wanted to let his Aislin enjoy him.