Hello from a distant world beyond. Let me just tell you (giggle) I was honestly going to drop this story. I wasn't feeling it anymore, but after receiving one particular private message from a certain someone – you know who you are – I was re-inspired to start again. Therefore, my diligent, and newer, readers, I will present another chapter. I apologize if the format is a bit unlike the multitude of chapters before, but I am a bit rusty, so go with me (^-^).

It was also brought to my attention that I had made a mistake. It appears that Inu Taisho is actually Inu No Taisho. So, from these chapters on, it will be as such. I apologize to any readers for past mistakes, and I do suppose I might remedy them someday… but I'd like to throw out these last chapters for you all!

Love always, your Ainslee Dan de' Leon.

Chapter 16: A Shattered Mirror

There was laughter.

Its texture was rich, like creamy dark chocolate melting onto an appreciative tongue. The loud, cracking sound echoed across the vast space, filling a walled space to the brim, no matter how large.

Long and deafening did it continue for many minutes.

Kagome could only stare at her hanyou. Surely, he had all but lost his mind.

He had been beyond himself for a good time now. She had no watch, but if she had to guess, Inuyasha had been all but shrieking for five minutes.

She turned to look back at the couple standing on the other side of the room. A striking pair, to be sure, for they were stunningly beautiful. The woman, Izayoi, possessed a beauty that was portrayed in Japanese art from the Edo Period. Her long hair was a luxurious coal, even darker than Kagome's. Every strand rippled and swayed with her tiniest movement. Her pale colored skin enhanced her beautiful, rosy cheeks – which Kagome suspected were completely natural – and helped to make her hair look even darker than the pitch coal it already was. Izayoi's body was petite, but curved in the appropriate places.

If only every girl was gifted with such a physical state. She must do something to gain such beauty, thought Kagome.

What drew the miko's stare, however, were her eyes. The lady's eyes were an astonishing purple… no, more like violet. Only the petals of a violet flower were as stunning.

In fact, the purple reminded her much of the color of…

No, that could not possibly be the connection she sought… could it?

While pushing the question firmly to the back of her racing mind, Kagome turned to look over the man behind Izayoi. The Lord of the Western Lands was just as dramatic in appearance as his wife was, though more on the cruel side. Not to say he was cruel, though at this moment Kagome was at a loss to judge him at all. No, it was the way his face was shaped. The cheekbones that seemed to slash down his face. The eyebrows that appeared to set themselves in a permanent I-am-the-almighty-do-not-question-me state. His nose was sharp and aristocratic in every sense of the term for he certainly used it to look down on others. Inu No Taisho's fluidity was another dangerous beautification, he moved with the speed and gracefulness of a large jungle cat.

There probably weren't too many forces on the earth that could compete with this man.

-Er, demon, Kagome corrected herself.

But, once again, for all the splendor of the remarkable man before her, the color of his eyes possessed all of her attention. The amber depths seemed to pulse and pull, attracting any and all eyes to them. Though the intensity of his gaze made it quite impossible to stare for an extended time, Kagome contented herself with looking at the demon's pointed ears.

"Inuyasha, I do believe now is the time to stop laughing."

Kagome whipped her head around to see Miroku standing in the doorway to the chamber. Excitement flared, and Kagome moved to greet the monk, only to be reminded that she was still held fast to Inuyasha's chest.

"Inuyasha," she said, now that he had quieted down to a soft chuckle. "If you're done, could you let me down?"

She watched as the hanyou shook his head, stirring about his addled wits. He refocused his sights on the girl in his arms. "Nope, you're not going anywhere."

Before Kagome could launch into a full argument with the stubborn male holding her hostage, she was interrupted by the lady of the house. "Inuyasha, please, won't you set her down on the chaise?" Lady Izayoi made a motion towards the delicately stitched piece of furniture, where only minutes ago Inuyasha and herself had been… expressing their love.

Blushing furiously, Kagome buried her face into her captor's chest.

The lady tried again, "Please, son, will you not allow someone to tend her hand? We must have it set."

"Listen, lady," Inuyasha replied, "This might be all fun and games to you, and I'll admit, the idea that you guys are my parents is hilarious, but there's no way in hell that you or grandpa are right in the head. So, we'll just be leaving-"

"Listen pup," came a gruff reply from Inu No Taisho. "Now you will not speak harsh words to your mother. Give her the respect every mother deserves."

Izayoi turned to face her captor. "Excuse you, you vile fiend, did I address you in any way for any assistance?"

"As his father – and your husband, I might add – I have the right to reprimand my son for his childish actions…"

"You have no right to have any involvement in his life…"

"And I can place any input I feel necessary, darling…"

"Because you left, and are not his father in any sense!"

"Because I am the boy's flesh-and-blood father in all sense!"

The pair ended their statement in bold shouts. Then, clearly exasperated, Inu No Taisho released his wife at last. She moved away from his body to approach Inuyasha.

With a tentative hand, Izayoi placed her palm upon Inuyasha's head. Her voice held a wealth of guilt when she began to speak to her supposed son. "I know you do not remember me, and I never intended for you to fully remember the time we had together. I feel it is necessary now, for I must end this charade." With her final word came a bit of conviction in her decision.

Kagome watched as Izayoi closed her eyes, and then felt a tremor begin within Inuyasha's body. It was over in less than a minute, but the wait for the Lady to remove her hand felt like a millennium for Kagome.

Inuyasha let out a shaky breath, and blinked a few times before speaking. "Mother?"

o0O0o0O0o0O0o0O0o

"I will never hurt you."

Sesshomaru's body quaked. The effort it had taken on his part to keep his thoughts and actions under his control had been overwhelming. Rin sat cowering in a corner, her eyes wide.

His tense muscles loosening, the demon-lord could feel his body becoming malleable once again. Looking towards the hearth once again, the mirror showed that his eyes were no longer violet.

No one controls me, not so long as I will it.

He turned to look at Rin, who was still huddling in the corner. Reaching out, he extended a hand to help her stand. The petite girl would have none of it, burying herself deeper into the corner.

"Rin, won't you take my hand?"

She would not.

Surely, he was not frightening Rin? The awareness was completely restored, and even under whatever spell or drug had been injected into his body, he had let no harm come to his girl.

Sesshomaru relished the thought. His girl. She was his; of course, there was absolutely no doubt of that. He had saved her, protected her, fed her, tended her… Up until the time she had disappeared.

So, in essence, she was now his once more. He had found her, and was going to stake his claim once again.

No one could have her but himself.

Pulling himself to stand at his straightest, Sesshomaru cleared his throat regally. Placing all authority he possessed into his next statement, he calmly declared, "Rin, you will stand and look at me right this moment."

Rin peered out from between the hands covering her face. Her expression was one of resistance and skepticism.

"Oh, come now Rin," Sesshomaru began again, "we shall not play anymore of these games. You will stand and face me at once." His voice rang out clear and cool in his prison.

And then, Rin moved.

No, not only moved, he would correct his description later. Rin very nearly leapt up straight from the floor and into the demon-lord's arms. Taking care to hold himself upright, Sesshomaru allowed for the girl's arms to tightly embrace him. Her small body shook uncontrollably, and he moved to comfort her-

"Oh, Lord Sesshomaru, I thought you had become someone else!"

Rin's sweet voice rose from the cloth covering his chest to ring in his ears. Her voice was still as delicate as chiming bells. Oh gods above, was he overjoyed to hear her once again!

"You were acting so strangely," she continued, to his delight, "that I thought they had taken your mind as well."

Sesshomaru held himself still and impassive, through pure strength of will. The need was strong to wrap his arms about the young lady and hold her fast.

Yet he waited.

He was rewarded.

"Lord Sesshomaru, I missed you so much!" Rin pulled away a bit, to look up into the demon-lord's eyes. His were sparkling, he knew, and couldn't help it himself. He was just so happy to have the acknowledgement he had sought for days. "You'll never guess how long I have been here."

He finally spoke, unable to hold back, "Three years, twelve days."

Surprise filled him, he hadn't thought to impart that he had counted the days since her strange departure.

"Oh, Lord Sesshomaru, you really did miss me, didn't you!" She moved to hold tight to him once again.

Good thing he had held back from conveying the rest of the time she had been gone from his presence. He had been counting until the time she had first exclaimed "Oh Lord Sesshomaru" once again. She had been absent in herself by holding herself in reserve, even while cleaning his room. And so, in reality, it had been three years, twelve days, thirteen hours and thirty-six minutes.

Not that he would degrade himself by counting the seconds. That would just be embarrassing.

"So did you miss me?" She was looking at him now, staring as intently as she had before cowering from his newly changed eyes.

Sesshomaru took the time to cherish these revolutionary moments.

Had he missed her?

"No you silly girl, I am always at ease with myself, no matter what may come of my troupe."

After a minute pause, Rin's tinkling giggle arose from her. This time she clutched herself as close to his body as she could. "You are so funny, my lord."

Sesshomaru allowed himself a hidden smile. His arms moved about to encircle Rin's body, holding her as close as he dared.

His possession, his rights. Why wouldn't he be allowed to hold what was his?

Sesshomaru glanced down to see Rin's eyes closed, a contented smile gracing her sweet mouth.

Well, alright, so he might be seeking affection as well… not that he'd admit it out loud.

o0O0o0O0o0O0o0O0o

Kouga awoke to feel an extreme contented sigh resting inside his chest.

So he released it, feeling that such a sigh should be shared with the rest of the world.

He was feeling as if he had spent the night sleeping on a bed of silken clouds, and then had drifted away to lie beneath a steady, soothing rainfall without the danger of catching cold.

His cloud was warm, which added another delight to his already wonderful waking.

Where could he be that such a beautiful sensation was even possible?

Eager to discover what was causing such a fantastic feeling, Kouga readily opened his eyes… and saw red.

A lot of red. Though not as a whole, but in bits and strands.

Eerily similar to strands of hair…

Kouga's body instantly tensed as visions of the night before slamming to the forefront of his mind. One by one they came, like a boulder steadily disrupting a slide of rocks to bury his sanity beneath memories of passion.

Sweat and heat.

Groaning and moaning.

Pleasure and pain.

The caresses, light as a feather. The kisses, deep and hungry, or soft and tentative.

Mostly ravenous.

Nails scoring his back, while grunts emitted forth from his mouth while he moved, back and forth-

Back and forth-

Back and-

He felt his warmth stir, and dreaded the sight he was about to see.

Blowing the hair from his face, his eyes met with a small, cute nose topped with freckles.

-The smattering of freckles covered her shoulders. He eased his face slowly downward until he could place a chaste kiss upon them, following the trail they led atop her person-

His eyes move rapidly from the freckles to look upon a pale cheek.

-Smooth, like milky butter-cream fresh from the churn. Fingers drifted to rest upon the soft surface, his calluses leaving a prickling sensation in their shadowy path. She shook and –

Shivering, Kouga immediately looked downward, not wanting to be plagued by visions anymore…

He was met with a sight that rendered him speechless. A beautiful pair of breasts lay atop the neighboring torso, rising gently with the slow breathing taken in and out of the chest.

-His hands were questing rapidly in their need to take hold of her.

-Tongues were mated in an epic battle of wills. Both sought control, though only one had true domination-

Palms roughly grasped onto her breasts. Greedy fingers pulled and tugged until her nipples were tight and hard-

Battling a desire to latch once again to those precious globes, Kouga eased himself into a sitting position.

Her face…

Nose…

Cheeks…

Breasts…

His breath caught as the demon prince's movements had set the sheets to slide farther down the girl's body.

Demon eyes fixated upon a most secret juncture. Treasure untouched by anyone until last night, when his own fingers had sought out the hidden depths.

Kouga's eyes closed, savoring this memory in particular. The feel had been warmth and wetness potent enough to make any man's eyes water in appreciation. Her body had moved in liquid, languorous, unhurried motions. Slim fingers had moved to grasp the silky sheets beneath her. Catlike mews had emitted from the plump lips set upon her rapturous countenance…

Catlike. Humorous, being they were of wolf descent, but the little moans had been so arousing. Recalling them had his member twitching.

His eyes looked upon the sleeping girl's face. After all of the chasing and denying, it had caught up with him. The little hurricane had taken hold of his body he had been saving for the miko.

She was his now, whether he wished it so or not.

Ayame-

His Ayame…

A feral grin took hold of his own mouth, and the gleam returning to his eyes had nothing to do with the candle light flickering softly on this warm, summer night.

Chapetwa 16… is… done.

Though the story must continue, I am proud to say I am now reinstated in the story itself. Ideas are flowing like vodka at a frat party.

That was inappropriate… (giggle)

Alternate Ending

(not the real one!)

Kouga's body instantly tensed as visions of the night before slamming to the forefront of his mind. One by one they came, like a boulder steadily disrupting a slide of rocks to bury his sanity beneath memories of passion.

Sweat and heat.

Groaning and moaning.

Pleasure and pain.

The caresses, light as a feather. The kisses, deep and hungry, or soft and tentative.

Mostly ravenous.

Nails scoring his back, while grunts emitted forth from his mouth while he moved, back and forth-

Kouga attempted to roll away and out of the bed he was in, but came up short when he found his arm being held by Ayame. Her little hands worked as vice grips on his wrists, her head place high on his bicep, her body now turned away from his.

There was no escape.

Trapped for eternity with his red-headed devil-mistress.

No, his mind rapidly working, there is a way to freedom!

Freedom!

Turning his head, Kouga slowly pried his lips apart. His fangs now extended, he gently placed the pearly whites upon the skin of his shoulder.

The pain was sharp… but freedom was just a few quick cannibal-filled hours away.

He would chew his way out…

His teeth working, Kouga began his escape.

Fin