Across the Ages

And we go on! Happy Birthday Anon, this one is for you!

Chapter Forty-Six

Ruby eyes glittered with delight as they saw the camp of the Taiyoukai spread inside the ivory confines of the magical mirror. So, the army was in place. Sesshoumaru was leaving nothing to chance. The dark hanyou could only guess at the recent spike in the powerful youkai's powers.

If possible, Sesshoumaru's aura had doubled in strength. He was far more dangerous now. The eyes took in the whipping of the silver haired hanyou. So the miko was tainted. This was irritating, for he'd hoped to bend her to his will. That remained a possibility, he only needed to get close enough.

He chuckled darkly. Kagome carried the offspring of a demon. What, he wondered, effect would her miko powers have on the unborn babe? Would her body purify it into nothingness or would it caress and embrace the little one, bestowing powers upon it?

"Kanna, show me the Taiyoukai" he commanded. Sesshoumaru was revealed among his men, as if he sensed the hanyou's eyes on him, he turned to stare back through the mirror. Kanna severed the link at once. Naraku growled in impatience. "He is stronger now, he can sense the presence of the void" Kanna told him.

Naraku's lips thinned to a tight line. How was that possible? No one could sense void, because void was nothingness. She had to be lying. No, he himself had locked eyes with Sesshoumaru and he'd felt the ominous power of the dog wash over him. This was an unseen development that he had little liking for.

"Kagura!" he called and the wind witch made her way to him. Her dislike of him more than apparent but he was not concerned. After all, he held her heart, literally. She'd not betray him. "You called?" she asked. He narrowed his eyes at the mirror once again, "I want the miko. Do whatever it takes".

Kagura was secretly thrilled by this command, this gave her the opportunity to plead her case to the handsome taiyoukai, providing he didn't kill her on sight. She'd have to be careful. Kanna would show Naraku a vision, an untrue vision of a her fight against the lord.

She reached into her hair and tugged a feather free, before leaping onto it and taking to the air. She soared up and over the mountains blocking Naraku's castle from sight and made her descent into the forest. She dared not get much closer than this. She allowed her youkai to spike, carrying her scent across the treetops. Any of the youkai in the camp would smell her but she was willing to bet that one of the two silver inu's came to see her.

She was almost relieved when Sesshoumaru touched down a few feet from her. His hand on the hilt of his powerful sword. "I didn't come to fight" she whispered, her ruby eyes ensuring that none of those damn insects were in the area. "Make a barrier".

Sesshoumaru blinked at her request, "Why should I do that?" he wanted to know. She frowned, "I have matters to discuss with you..a propostion if you will" she replied. Her scent carried the slight taint of Naraku but no deception.

With a thought the barrier was erected, sealing their words and actions from the outside world. He glared at the demoness before him. The scent of her arousal reached him, so she desired him. He growled, "You have nothing that I desire" he told her. She smirked, "I could argue the point of full blood pups, but that isn't what I came here for"

His growls were deadly quiet now. How dare the witch flaunt his one shortcoming and so brazenly? "Speak or I will send you to your grave" he snapped at her. She smiled almost coyly up at him, "I have come to strike a bargain.... a trade if you will".

Her words gave him pause but then he spoke, "As I have already told you, there is nothing you can give me that I want". She smirked, "Not even Naraku?" she purred. His eyes narrowed but she still held no trace of lies. "You test my patience. State your terms" he barked.

Kagura nodded, "You want Naraku dead, I want that too, more than you can know" she hissed, "Naraku intends to take you by surprise by wearing the guise of another during the battle. This is how he will take the miko and destroy the last threat to his hopes of the jewel".

Sesshoumaru listened and she asked for the same thing she had once offered shards for. Her freedom. To live or die, it mattered not to her. Only that it be on her terms. He could understand that, could almost admire her for it. "If you speak the truth then he knows your treachery already" Sesshoumaru told her, referring to Kanna's mirror.

Kagura smiled bitterly, "No, at this moment, if he is looking he will see you and I engaged in battle. Kanna can control what the mirror will show him. That is why I must not return from this meeting unscathed" she told him. His eyes widened fractionally at her words. The best she supposed she could hope for.

"You must injure me and allow me to return to him" she told him. He growled, eyeing his claws, "What makes you think that I will not just slay you?" he asked. She shrugged, "You might. But I doubt you will, you are not a fool. You know that I am not lying to you, this is a perfect chance to destroy him. If you kill me now, you set me free. If you kill me later, we all win" she answered glibly.

He seemed to consider her words, "Very well witch, but if you betray me, I shall make certain that your time with Naraku seems like a paradise. Do we understand one another?" he asked. She nodded and bowed as she pulled her feather from her hair. He released his barrier and swiped at her with his claws. Blood stained his flesh and she grunted at the pain. A deep wound, a serious wound. It would not be doubted.

He stood in place as she vanished on the rising wind, her form unsteady and he wondered if perhaps he'd wounded her too deeply. No matter he supposed. He let his thought turn to the coming battle, so the hanyou knew of Kagome's condition. That was something that he wished were not so, but could not be helped.

The security of the camp would have to be increased of course and he'd be certain to erect barriers around the living quarters lest the dark bastard hear anything else. He thought of Kagura, not evil in her own right, and an admirable opponent. Her end would come soon, as she wished.

Inuyasha would be fully healed in perhaps three day's time. He'd see to that. Kagome would be furious with him but damn it didn't they realize that he was the law? He had to keep order or they'd all suffer for it. Like his father had. That brought his mind to his mate. Strong and beautiful and he wanted nothing more than to go back to the camp and beg her forgiveness for a thousand crimes.

He found that once again, he wanted what his brother had. The unconditional love of his woman. While he did not doubt Ayeka's love, he did doubt her desire to remain with him. It seemed that in doing those things that he thought best for her that he only pushed her farther away.

"Father, what am I to do?" he softly asked the darkening sky. As if mocking him the wind ruffled his hair and the air remained silent of an answer. With a calm expression, he turned and strode back towards the camp. Perhaps his brother was correct, perhaps he was a bastard through and through.

He found himself outside of Inuyasha's tent and called to him. His brother grunted from inside and then the flap opened and he found himself staring down at the miko. She looked wary of him but stepped aside to allow him to enter. "How are you feeling miko?" he asked softly.

Kagome put her hand on her stomach, "Not fat yet" she told him. A hint of a smile touched her lips, "I talked to Inuyasha about what happened and I understand that you had no choice but to carry out the law. I don't like it.... but I can forgive it" she told him. He nodded once to her and brushed past her to look down at his brother.

Inuyasha peered at him from the corner of his eye, "What now?" he asked gruffly. He was situated on his stomach, light bandages covered his torn back. Sesshoumaru said nothing, merely sat beside him and lifted the bandaged with careful claws. "Hey asshole, what are you doing?" Inuyasha griped.

Kagome watched as the stoic Taiyoukai gently licked the wounds on his brother's back. "This will help you heal faster, since you cannot reach them for yourself" he said simply. Inuyasha was stunned, that his brother would do such a thing. It spoke volumes. Kagome felt tears prick her eyes, as she watched him tend his 'hated' little brother. His actions slow and gentle, his healing saliva sealing and cleaning the wounds.

The pain was nearly gone now and Inuyasha was able to stretch slightly without wincing in pain. He peered over his shoulder at Sesshoumaru. His brother said nothing but Inuyasha knew. "Kagome, can you go find Shippo? There is something I want to tell him" he said suddenly.

The miko frowned, but nodded and left the tent. Inuyasha watched his brother move to sit before him. "Ayeka was here" he said plainly, "Seems she's upset". Sesshoumaru grunted, she had every right to be he supposed. "You tried to subdue her didn't you?" Inuyasha asked. Red lidded gold eyes snapped up to meet his. She had told him?

Inuyasha keh'd. "Just a guess, I tried that once with Kagome. Didn't work out too well. It's hard to force youkai customs on human women" he mused. Sesshoumaru said nothing, merely listened since his sibling was delving into those issues that troubled his heart.

"Kagome sat me until I thought I'd never walk again. Didn't talk to me for a week. I hated that most. The fact that she was right there but I couldn't reach her. I knew I couldn't force it, I could only show her how sorry I was and wait. After a while she got used to inu traditions" he said. Sesshoumaru nodded and rose, "I will be back in the morning to see attend to your back" he said and then he was gone.

Ayeka was propped against the soft cushions of her cot. She was reading through the reports from the sentries. She'd taken on the duty since Sesshoumaru was nowhere to be found. Probably out patrolling. It had been two days since the whipping of Inuyasha and he'd not sought her out. She wondered why? Was he still angry with her? She was not angry with him as much, she actually wanted to talk to him. To clear the air between them, as it seemed they so often needed to do.

What was the matter with her? She'd given herself freely to him before they left, submitted to him then. Why couldn't she have swallowed her pride and done it that night too. Perhaps because she wanted to WANT to submit to him, rather than be told she would. She'd married an inyoukai, mated him, knowing what that meant, why did she hold his nature against him?

She thought back to the centuries without him, what was it she had always been looking for? A strong man, a man who showed his love in his actions rather than just pretty words. A man strong enough to stand up to her. A man who could be content to stand beside her but would know when she bit off more than she could chew and had no qualms stepping in front of her. Wasn't that exactly what she had?

The flap of her tent lifted and she found herself staring at the object her thoughts. She kept wide green eyes on him, not moving from her position. Her reports held between stiff fingers. He breathed in her scent, her spice growing heavier with the encroachment of her woman's time.

She'd be in full heat in a mere two day's time. Her riotous red curls fell over her shoulders. She'd obviously had her hair in braids all day. He'd not seen much of her since the punishment. "Sesshoumaru" she said finally, when the silence grew unbearable. She set her reports aside and rose. Was he alright?

She made to brush past him but he reached out and clasped her arm. Not tightly, but it made her stop moving. She didn't want to look at him, but his claws slid under her chin, gently drawing her face toward him. His eyes were warm and sad and she opened her mouth to ask him why.

Sesshoumaru saw the sheen of her vibrant eyes, the parting of soft pink lips. He didn't want to hear her say harsh words, nothing cold, not now. He sealed his lips over hers, watching was her eyes went wide in surprise, caught her little gasp as his tongue invaded her mouth.

Ayeka's eyes fluttered closed at the sensations he brought to her, she felt his arms move around her, drawing her close to the solid heat of his body. As if they had a will of their own, her hands slid into his cool hair and she pressed closer to him. Her need, her desire for him, peaking painfully. Just like that night.

She pushed at him then, and he lifted his lips to peer down at her. "No" she whispered hoarsely, "Not again". He buried his face against her neck and inhaled deeply. He held her tightly to him. She felt him lower her to the cot and she pushed upwards to glare at him.

Sesshoumaru knew that she suspected a repeat of his last actions, but no. He'd come for a very different reason tonight. She felt his clawed hands on her thigh, drifting over them in soft caressing motions, "Lay back" he whispered to her.

She shook her head, "What are you doing?" she asked, the look in his eyes leaving her breathless. Sesshoumaru leaned forward and pressed a wet kiss to the inside of her knee. "Making amends" he said softly as he pushed her back to the coverlet.

He inhaled the sweet scent of her arousal a moment later, his head hovering over the silk covered flesh. She felt his claws dance across the material before pushing it aside. She propped herself up on her elbows to stare at him in wonder. "Who are you?" she asked, "What have you done with my husband?". His lips twitched in a half smile as he pressed a kiss to the trimmed curls below him.

Then, locking eyes with her, his tongue stole out and lapped at the slick folds. Ayeka whimpered and he lifted her thighs over his shoulders causing her to tumble back against the blankets. He attacked her like a lucsious fruit, tongue,lips and fangs working in unison for one goal alone, her ultimate release.

Ayeka trembled as he worked her, his tongue swirling through her pink folds, his soft growls causing his fang to vibrate against her pearl. She mewled at his actions, reduced to animalistic sounds and no coherent thought. It was then that Sesshoumaru came to a blinding realization. This was how to subdue a human female. You gave of yourself until she was powerless against you.

Her hands were sliding through his hair, as she writhed beneath him. His tongue curling around the hard nub. He nipped it lightly, causing her to arch off the cot. Her mouth opened and he lifted his hand to cover her mouth. He'd not have her screams bring her men running in.

Ayeka whimpered against his hand, her scream muffled when he suckled the pearl, and pressed his tongue over it. Her trembling thighs were squeezing around his head now and he revelled in that feeling. He slowly pushed a long finger into the tight heat of her channel. His questing finger finding that fleshy ridge within a moment later.

Ayeka bowed as he worked her pleasure centers mercilessly. He could feel her tense around his finger, the deep contracting of her muscles telling him that her release was coming hard and fast. With a final press of his fingers and tongue he sent her spiralling into the world of starshine bliss. Her wetness drenching his hand and chin.

He gave her a last soothing lick and wiped his face with a sleeve. Then he rose over her heaving, trembling form and kissed her on the brow. Ayeka watched with heavy eyes as he crossed the tent. "Where are you going?" she managed to pant out. He smiled softly, "I merely came to give you something I owed you my love" he told her. Then he was gone and Ayeka felt her world grow dark and warm as sleep overcame her overwrought body.