Desperation

To Phoenix and Devildog: You guys are wonderful as always. Here's another chapter for you. I'm on a roll. As to it being almost over it is coming to a close. Yet I'm not sure how many chapters are left. There is still a few major things to be dealt with. Some hints of which are in this chapter. So don't expect the end too quickly. I am so amazed at how this has turned out. I really am. It's been nearly a year in the works and so much longer than I excepted. I was thinking it would be twelve chapters tops till I got to where I wanted to get. Well my little writing exercise has turned into a major labor of love. One which right now is thrity-six chapters and two-hundred fourteen pages long.
Thanks for your support. Somedays you guys are what keeps me going. Knowing that you're waiting for me and looking forward to my next post gives me a reason to get to work on days when I would rather stay in the black hole I wake up in.
So here's to you two chapters writen in three days, hurray.
Till later with love,
Eluwei


Chapter Thirty-Six

As the shifter’s scream morphed into a howl Kagome grabbed her cringing mate and pulled him from the room. She wanted to help but she knew they would just be in the way.
“Damn it,” Inuyasha shook his head trying to get his ears to stop ringing.
“Are you alright,” she reached up and rubbed them.
“Keh, who would have thought she could bellow like that?”
“You didn’t answer me.” She gently chided.
“I’m fine wench; damn ears are ringing a bit though.” He looked at the closed door.
“Come with me,” she laced her fingers with his and pulled him down the hall.
“Where we going?”
“To the kitchen, we’re going to get something to eat. After that we’ll take a couch from the living room down the hall and wait this out.”
“Okay.” He followed her.
As he watched her bustle around the kitchen he thought of something.
“Hey Kagome.”
“Yeah,” she looked up at him noticing that he was scratching at his arm again. “What is it?”
“Why didn’t you try to purify the poison?” His amber eyes were curious.
“I offered to before they got back,” she pulled some cheese from the fridge. “Wiseone wants me to wait until Shadara is stronger. She doesn’t know what it could do. Because Shadara’s energy is so different from mine it may hurt her instead of helping.”
“But you’re human and so is she, how is that different?”
“She’s not human like I am,” she shook her head. “Wiseone said that she’s more than half wolf. And she’s been changed, enhanced so to speak, so much that I could really hurt her. So we’ll wait till the antidote runs its course and see if I can help her.”
“Her power, her magic, is really different. So that makes sense I guess.”
There was a sizzling sound as she put a piece of buttered bread on the hot griddle. It was followed by a slice of cheese and another piece of bread.
“I hate waiting.” He growled. She looked at him, gave him a small smile, and flipped a sandwich.
“I’m worried too.”
“Keh, I didn’t say I was worried wench.”
“I know, but I know you. You’re worried about her just like I am. It’s hard when your family is hurt.”
“You think she’s family too,” his eyebrows rose.
“Of course I do. When you made her your sister you made her mine as well.”
His ears drooped at her words.
“I should have talked to you about it first.”
“You baka, no you shouldn’t have. You did the right thing and I’m proud of you for it.” He perked up. “Besides I think your father has a plan in all of this.”
“Keh, no shit, I want to know what the old man is up to. And why in the hell is he interfering now. Meddling from the other side has to be fucking difficult.”
“I would think so,” she put a plateful of grilled cheese sandwiches before him. They were quickly followed by a bowl of tomato soup. His eyes lit up and he looked at her.
“Share with me?”
“Of course,” she laughed. “Why do you think I made so many?” She plucked one off the plate dipped it in the soup and bit into it. “Mmmm, one of my favorite American foods that’s for sure.”
All she got from him was a nod as he downed one himself.
“Where’s the runt?” He asked once the plate was empty.
“With Sango, she said she wanted to help care for the unicorns when they got back and that she’d keep him with her till I came to get him.”
“Good he doesn’t need to see her like this.”
“I agree, let’s go see how she is.”
When they reached the end of the hall Brook was waiting for them.
“She’s quiet for the moment, but I expect the ranting to start again.”
“Ranting,” Kagome asked. The redhead nodded.
“Yeah, it’s like she’s reliving every bad thing that ever happened to her. She’s was yelling in Cherokee and from the few words I know it wasn’t about anything good.”
“How long will she be out of it like this?”
“Probably till dawn.”
“It’s going to be a long night.” She turned to her mate. “Inuyasha will you go and let the others know what’s going on.”
“Keh.”
“Please,” she pleaded.
“Alright,” he turned with a huff.
When he was out of sight she turned back to Brook with a raised eyebrow.
“How are you holding up, it’s got to be hard seeing her like this?”
The other woman nodded and raised pained pewter eyes.
“It’s just one thing after another.” Her voice was tight. “I don’t know how much more she can take. I’m glad that you guys are here to help out.” The corner of her mouth lifted a bit. “Though I am a bit jealous of the attention she gives your mate. She’s spoken more to him in a few days then she has with us in months. Are you jealous?” She asks genuinely curious.
“No,” Kagome shook her head, “not in the least.”
“Why not?”
“Because he makes sure we have time together and I trust him. She needs him, she needs an older brother, and Inuyasha needs people to take care of. Sango and Miroku still need him as a friend and brother, but they don’t need him to take of them anymore.”
“He just seems so rough sometimes it’s strange that he’s that caring, but I’ve seen him be so gentle.” She shook her head. “He tries to hide it by being the tough guy.”
“He does,” she thought Brook understood her hanyou very well. “Do you need any help with her?”
“Not right now all we can do is wait it out.”
They took turns all through the night watching over the shifter as she battled for her life and her sanity. Kagome didn’t know how Brook was able to stay with her the whole time. It was heart wrenching to see and hear the way she screamed and struggled.
When the dawn light finally filtered through the window she pulled on her chains with everything she had left. As the bed creaked and the chains groaned in protest she howled; the pain, the need, and the longing echoing off the walls.
Inuyasha was the only one that knew what she howled, knew who her whole being was calling for. Her last howl before she succumbed to the darkness of unconsciousness was a single word.
“MATE!”
Kagome wrapped her arms around her hanyou as the reverberating sound broke her heart.
“What’s she doing,” she asked as he pulled her from the room. He placed his mouth close to her ear.
“She’s calling to her mate.”
“I didn’t think she had one.”
“Oh she’s got one wench or she wouldn’t be howling like that for him.”
They watched from the doorway as she became still. Kagome pressed herself closer to her own mate hoping that she never felt the pain the shifter was going through. The thought of being separated from her hanyou sent chills down her spine.

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Hundreds of miles away a young man with deep blue eyes came awake with a gasp as the essence of her howl flooded his soul.
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The silver haired Tai-youkai sagged with exhaustion as he pulled his claws through the image of his youngest son, scattering it.
“All the pieces are falling into place,” his deep voice was hopeful.
“Why do you do this,” a dark haired young woman behind him asked. “You only exhaust yourself. Once this is over you won’t have the strength to watch them again for years.”
“If that is the price I must pay for my son’s happiness I shall.” He sat and leaned against a hazy tree. “The Blackwolf is the only one who has the power to do what I wish done. And she will do it. A few more days and she will run my errand. Then I will rest. And I will still know what goes on with my sons.” He turned fierce eyes on her.
“And how will you?” She asked concerned by his look.
“You will watch them and report to me.” He closed his eyes not heeding her shock widened eyes.
“Why would I do that,” she was outraged.
“It is the price you must pay for your actions against my son, Kikyou.”