Capital Offense by Oroyukae

What If....

Toweling his head furiously, Inuyasha did his best to forget the way it had felt to have Kikyo pressed so close to him; he sought to purge the sounds of the her soft sighs she had made while she slept against him, and he outright refused to recall her scent that had assaulted his nose in such a delightful way. The poor hanyou was just so damned frustrated – but not with Kikyo, no, his frustration centered on himself and how he just could not seem to think of anything but how much he needed and wanted the woman who slept in that overstuffed chair at that very minute. She was everything he had dared to dream about in what he deemed to be the perfect woman for him - even surpassing Kagome in some areas; which had him most perplexed because he thought so highly of his brother’s new mate.

One thing was certain though, he would give his life for either one of those females of he had to. They brought out his instinct to protect them and see to it that they never know neither want nor need; they gave him a purpose other than merely to just exist in the world, and he liked it that they depended on him. He felt important and there was nothing like that feeling – not in the entire world.

The half-demon surveyed the results of his combing his hair, pleased that there had been marked increase in the length over the last few months. Yasha liked his hair long, even if Sessh thought he looked like a wanna-be rock star or something, the longer the better. Sure his hair was not as straight and controllable as his elder’s, but then- said elder did not have those fuzzy white appendages atop his head either; which had much to do with how the hanyou’s hair pretty much did what it wanted to. He had always been just a little jealous of Sessh’s fine silver mane - always so damned perfect and well behaved; sometimes it made him want to just vomit, or shave the guy’s head. He chuckled a bit at the mental image his mind conjured up of his brother as bald as a cue ball and scowling at him…seconds before he beat him into a coma of course.

Inuyasha dried the small droplets off his chest that had fallen while he combed his hair, thinking about how he was going to handle the Kikyo thing; she couldn’t know about the effects she had on him, it would more than likely piss her off at him – thinking that he really did have only one true interest in her. That was not even the case at all, he liked her for so many other reasons; her mind, her sense of humor that not many others knew she even had, and she honestly listened to him when he spoke. The half-Inu just had issues with controlling certain parts of his anatomy when it wished to show its appreciation and interest in the woman.

A sudden commotion out in the living room caught his interest and Yasha rushed out of the bathroom, forgetting he was only partially dressed; he entered the living room – eyes darting around to spot the cause for such a racket. His exposed chest and low-slung pajama pants drew one set of eyes, while his bewildered expression drew a completely different set.

“Something is wrong Inuyasha,” Kagome said in a soft voice, “I sense a lot of people in the area.”

Turning his golden eyes to the other female he asked her if she felt them too. Kikyo merely nodded, unable to form real words at that moment. The hanyou walked toward the patio door, telling the girl to wait there so he could go outside and check things out. Despite his orders, both women drifted over to said doors and stepped outside onto the veranda. Finding her voice, Kikyo replied that they were humans, sensing no demonic energy and Yasha agreed, for he could sense them too; his eyes scanned the area - but could not see any sign of their unwanted intruders. Apparently they were still a distance away, and the half-demon felt a deep sense of foreboding creep upon him – something that told him whoever these people were, they were not there to socialize. There was definitely something wrong.

Instantly the boy went into defense mode; telling the girl’s to grab a few things because he was taking them to the only real safe place there was, the cave. Both the main house and the guest cottage out back were vulnerable, for they had windows and more than one entrance; it would be too difficult to defend themselves with so many weaknesses, so the only logical thing for him to do was take them somewhere that was more secure. The cave had one way in and out, one that could be sealed with a barrier to keep unwanted parties at bay. Yes, the cave was the best place for them.

They did as Yasha told them to and in no time, they were moving as quickly as possible for the small cave in which Kagome and Sessh had mated. Yasha had Kikyo lead the way, and he brought up the rear – leaving Kagome in the middle; his keen ears could hear their approach now, and his nose picked up their scents…they were definitely human. Many possibilities ran through his mind then, from the Department finding out he and Sessh were still alive and somehow tracking them there, to the program finally locating Kikyo and coming for her. The latter seemed unlikely though, due to the absence of any holy power in the area except for Kikyo and Kagome’s; however, he did not dismiss the idea, for they could have just sent in some muscle rather than waste their mikos’ energy. Yasha even thought about it being the lunatic from the organization trying to make sure his brother had a reason to join his idiotic plans for world domination; who really knew why they were there at that time? Once he had the two mikos safe, he would go out and investigate to try and find out who was there…and why.

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Sato looked so relieved to see the Inu when he arrived; he had started to believe that the guy had run into problems and would need him to come find him. He should have known better; Sesshoumaru was far too skilled and powerful for that to have happened to him. If it had become necessary for him to ‘rescue’ his Daiyoukai comrade, Sessh would not live it down, for Sato would not let him. The kit’s physical appearance surprised him, but only a tad; it wasn’t anything new for the Shishi to see Shippou with light smatterings of blood on his small person, for the boy was part of the organization after all and had been on many assignments and missions in the past. The guy was just surprised that Sessh had allowed the boy to see action since he had promised the miko it would not happen. He was more than looking forward to hearing her tear into the demon for not living up to the agreement, something told him it was going to e quite…entertaining.

“I had begun to think you were lost and could not find your way back, Inu.” His quiet and deep voice broke the silence, offsetting the tense atmosphere that surrounded them. “Not all canines find their way back you know; old dogs can be forgetful and confused when over stimulated by too many happenings going on around them.”

Just when he had a rather colorful retort at the ready, the Daiyoukai glanced at the young Kitsune just to his right and had to bite his tongue. His eyes however could relay just what he was thinking and they did it so well that Sato had to swallow the boisterous laugh that threatened to escape. Oh yes, his Inu friend was so very fun to mince words with.

Miroku cleared his throat and asked the males if they were through insulting each other, drawing one amused look and one scathing one. It would seem that there was still some residual hostility left between the Daiyoukai and himself, on Sesshoumaru’s part anyway. The human had no idea that it was there simply because Sesshoumaru’s mating had been interrupted to come rescue him; it did not matter though, for it was nothing personal – it could have been anyone and the Inu would feel the exact same way.

“As amusing as it is to hear you two insult one another, I think that we should be on our way. There are more pressing matters to tend to right now that requires our immediate attention,” he replied, stressing the last of his words so that Sato would remember their underlying meaning. Miroku did not have to see to know that the Daiyoukai was staring at him, for he felt the weight of those cold hard eyes upon him the very second the words were out of his mouth.

His mind redirected to the matter at hand, Sato looked around him at each being there, and then took a deep breath. “Come, we have a transport to meet.”

Despite his curiosity being piqued, Sesshoumaru agreed that they had to get moving; every moment they remained there presented the possibility that they would be discovered and their retreat hindered. There would be time for interrogations later, once they were on the helicopter that would return him to his mate and pups. Keeping the kit in close proximity, Sessh joined the Shishi in sweeping the area for unwanted additions to their group. Just as they were about to give the all clear, Miroku informed them that his absence had just been discovered and an alert was in effect. Great. There would be no chance for them to leave there as they had arrived.

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They were being pursued; the heavy footfalls of several large males thundered in his hanyou ears, telling him they were getting closer to his small group. Thankfully, they were almost at their destination and soon the women would be safe. Yasha kept his eyes on Kagome, seeing her do her best to keep pace, her left arm draped around her middle to protect the tiny beings she carried. “As soon as you two are inside the cave erect a barrier, Kikyo; I’m going to try to find out just who these guys are and why they’re here. I don’t want to hear any arguments about it either. I need to know what I’m up against here so I can protect the both of you. Until you hear from me, do not lower that barrier – no matter what!”

Kikyo had a protest ready, but the tone of his voice silenced it almost instantly; he was not going to listen to her attempt to sway him into remaining inside the cave with her and the girl. She was in now way surprised by his desire to know what dangers they faced,  it only made sense for them to be informed on every aspect of the situation in order to form an effective defense; it was just that she was in no way comfortable with the hanyou putting himself in such potential danger. He could be injured and not able to return to the cave, or worse if the intruders were intent on being overly hostile to accomplish whatever their mission was. That was something she knew she would not be able to take, for Inuyasha to be injured or killed because of her. The woman had always known this day would come, for she would not be able to hide herself forever; they had ways to find those who they looked for and she had been fortunate she had eluded the program as long as she did. It had to be the program, even though she sensed no holy power; they did not always use such to find and apprehend those they saw as ‘fugitives’, feeling it complete waste of valuable resources. They had done this before, something she had firsthand knowledge of; they came for her in this very same manner the night Miroku whisked her away to this place to keep her safe. Several had lost their lives that night, for the fight had been overly brutal, and she would never forget it for as long as she lived.

The girl was tiring from having to travel at such a pace, and Kikyo dropped back so she could assist Kagome in reaching the cave. She dared not to glance back at Inuyasha lest she and the young miko stumble and fall, but she was aware that he was not far behind them, pacing himself so as not to overrun them. “You can do it Kagome,” she encouraged the girl, ‘We’re almost there and then we’ll be safe.”

Her breath came in pants while her arm that cradled her children tightened a bit; it was difficult to keep that pace, but she was determined to get to the cave and so, she pressed on. It terrified her that she did not know who was after them, it could any one for all she knew. Her left foot came down at a weird angle and she nearly fell, but Kikyo stabilized her before that could happen. The curse that threatened to escape her then were swallowed while she focused her mind on keeping her babies safe from harm. Whoever it was that was chasing them were on no way friendly and if they were to discover she was carrying the offspring of a demon, especially one like Sesshoumaru, the results would not be pleasant at all.  The Department would more than likely have them banded and perhaps holed up somewhere as captives due to their powerful blood; Daiyoukai and miko blood would have to be some of the most powerful there ever was and it was certain that the agency would not allow them to remain free.  They would all be incarcerated; Yasha, Sessh, and herself would be treated as criminals, their freedom taken from them as they were locked away in  some prison cell…it would leave no one to care for her children if that happened in the off chance her children were not locked up as well. Shippou would be banded as well, and he would lose yet another mother in his young life; that would devastate the child in ways unimaginable.

If the program got their hands on them, her children would become training object for their recruits, of they were allowed to live at all. There had been tales of them actually exterminating young demon offspring as a way to control the population; her wee ones would be prime candidates for something like that, considering they possessed both demon and miko blood. Her sons would be viewed as abominations of the highest form, despised before they even drew their first true breath. The thought entered her mind then that the despicable damned program might even…no, that would never ever happen. There was absolutely no way in hell they could ever turn her against her own flesh and blood; it was not possible, of that she was certain. Oh, they might try, but they would never accomplish it. They would have to just outright kill her first.

Tears formed in her eyes; tears born of fear about what would happen to the others. Kikyo would be tortured and possibly killed, if she was lucky that was. If not, she would be subjected to the same malicious attempts to break her that the woman had endured before – back before Miroku freed her from their clutches. Yasha...well, he would be purified on the spot. That made her chest hurt even more than it already was; the thought of losing her best friend was nearly enough to take her to her knees.  They had been through so much together, supporting one another in times of crisis…she could not lose him; she needed him just as much as she needed her loving mate…

Sesshoumaru.

She did not even want to know what it would do to him if his brother was killed and she was taken to the program; it would destroy him, there was no doubt about it. He finally had emerged from his self imposed emotional prison sentence and dared to seek love and acceptance, for his to lose that would be far too much for him to bear. It terrified her imagining what her beloved Inu would become then.

Kagome almost cried out with relief when the cave came into her sights, her lungs hurt from deprivation, and her legs felt like jello; she had never been so glad to see something before in her entire life. Kikyo ushered her inside, and turned to the hanyou just as he was about to lave them. “Inuyasha!” she cried out to stop him, pleased that he did in fact stop upon hearing the emotion in her voice.

Yasha was about to tell the woman not to try and stop him from going, but the words never made it out of his mouth. Kikyo threw her arms around him and pressed her lips to his, her arms holding onto him for dear life. The half-demon responded by wrapping his arms around her, holding her tight; it only lasted a moment or two, but damn if it wasn’t powerful. The woman seemed reluctant to end their kiss, but she did – and her eyes gleamed with unshed tears.

“Please…be careful,” she whispered as she took a step back from him, knowing that if she did not do it then, then she would never let him go.

With a shake of his head to refocus his mind, the hanyou smirked at her arrogantly, resembling his elder sibling at that moment, “You ain’t getting rid of me that easy, woman. I will be back, trust me.”

As soon as the guy was out the entrance, Kikyo erected a barrier strong enough to keep an entire platoon out of that space – ensuring the safety of all that were within. A silent prayer went out for the half-Inu then, her mahogany head lowered and her eyes closed. He had to come back to her, he just had to.

“He’ll be fine Kikyo; Inuyasha is resourceful, he’ll probably keep to the trees since he loves to climb and sit in them so much. Who do you think is out there?” Kagome hoped the woman felt like talking because whenever she was nervous, that was what she did…talk. Not everyone was like her though, and she knew that; she just hoped that Kikyo would indulge her.

“I do not know; I do have a few thought though; however, none of them are very pleasant. I am…contemplating the possibility that it is the program coming for me. This sort of thing has happened before…”

“Yes, I know; you told me. I think I fear them more than anyone right now.” Her hand caressed the swell of her stomach distractedly.

“I can understand that. You are aware of what they will do once they find that you are carrying his children, I take it? It is vile and unspeakable, but a very probable scenario. I do not wish to frighten you any more than you are right now, but you need to know what to expect.” She tried to be gentle about it, but there really was no way to soften the reality of what would become of her children if they were to be taken by the program.

“Yes, I am well aware of what they might do, every last damned possibility. I-I won’t go peacefully, Kikyo; they will have a fight on their hands, I can assure you of that.”

The woman drifted over to gaze down at the remnants of the girl mating that had not been removed from the place; a table, a comforter and the futon mattress sparked questions in her mind. “Kagome…what was it like?”

“What was what like?”

“Mating the Inu. Were you afraid? Did…did it hurt?”

The girl smiled at the still fresh memory, her mark tingled a bit as she relived a few of the more intense moments within her mind. “Not too much really, it was perfectly timed so that when he marked me, I did not feel too much pain at all. It…burned more than anything really, but he sealed the mark immediately. Then – it was so warm, like heated honey being poured over my skin.”

That smile did not go unnoticed, and Kikyo was even more intrigued; she had always had the impression that a mating was violent and painful, having heard others talk about it throughout her life. They had always made it sound unpleasant and rather frightening. “So, you were not afraid?”

“Oh heaven’s no. there has to be real trust and love between the two beings when mating, and I trusted Sesshoumaru implicitly. Besides, I...I- huh-hm…” the girl did not want to offend Kikyo and searched for more delicate words to convey just how she had lusted for and desired her Daiyoukai when they mated. How was she to let the woman know that just his voice alone could induce a world shattering orgasm in her, and not offend the demure female?

Again, the elder miko relocated, moving back toward the entrance, staring at the barrier while her mind swirled with unspoken emotion. “How do you feel about Inuyasha? Is he a good male?”

“Well, yeah; he’s one hell of a guy – excuse my language, but the truth is truth, you know. You know, while Sesshoumaru couldn’t find a job, Yasha supported the both of them. He worked his hanyou behind off, and it kind of scared me that he would work himself to death; he never complained about it though. It was so hard for Sessh to find a job, what with him being a demon and all…”

“How is he in relationships?”

Kagome took a deep breath, not really knowing what to say to the woman. The girl knew that Inuyasha really liked Kikyo, he had told her that – and the way he acted whenever she was around was a big give-away too. “I’ll be honest with you; he hasn’t really had a relationship since I have known him. I have heard that he did have a couple of serious relationships that went bad, but that was before I met him. If you want my opinion, Kikyo, you could do a lot worse than Yasha; he will never hurt you and he will do his best to see that you’re happy. I think you two would be great for one another.” She leaned her head back against the wall of the cave, sliding her eyes closed to ward off the headache that threatened to hit her full force.

“How so?”

“Well, you are more mature and can keep him in line; he can be a little juvenile at times and it gets him into trouble. In return he can help you to loosen up and have fun; you have a tendency to be uptight and overly reserved. Oh yes, that rather passionate and impromptu kiss…nice.” The girl slitted her eyes and saw the deep blush that colored Kikyo’s cheeks.

“He has known many women, while I have not been with a man in some time; it is a bit intimidating, Kagome.”

“Don’t let that stand in your way, if anything that probably something he finds endearing; it shows you are not the kind of woman who sleeps around. I think you should give it chance and see where it goes; you might just find you like where you end up.” Kagome’s fingers rose to her mating mark, gliding them over the spot a few times.

The girl’s mind drifted to thoughts of her mate and son, wondering just what they were doing at that moment; she had no doubt that they were safe, for she would be able to sense it if they weren’t. In a small way, the girl wished that they would finish their business and Sessh would return before anything bad happened to any of them. She knew that was just what it was though…a mere wish, but still it gave her some comfort in such a harrowing time.

The sounds of what appeared to be gunshots rang out from the other side of the barrier and drew the eyes of the two inhabitants of the cave. Kagome saw Kikyo shut her eyes as her lips began to move in silent prayer once more, but she refused to join her; it would only serve to strengthen the fear inside of her that she was going to lose all she held dear in this world. If she dared to think for even a second that Inuyasha was injured from those shots she and Kikyo had heard, it would become a possibility, but by refusing to even think it might be a possibility, it would not happen. Yeah, it seemed a bit stupid and juvenile, but it had worked for her in the past and Kagome was a firm believer in sticking to what worked.

Yasha was just fine; period.

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If not for the severity of the situation, Miroku might have managed a triumphant sigh upon feeling the cool night air upon his face that solidified his sense of freedom in his mind. As it was though, he did not have that kind of luxury; he had to organize a pre-emptive strike against the fool that had held him captive, one that began with saving five lives that were far away from his current location. Looking to his right, he could almost make out the large form of his comrade, keeping his voice as low as possible as they made their way for their exit point he asked, “I should be hearing from the others very soon Sato; I just hope we aren’t too late to save them.”

Now, perhaps it was not prudent to say anything without making absolutely sure that it was in fact the right demon he had intended to say those words to; it was a thought that occurred to him instantly when a rather large and powerful hand inflicted unexpected pain upon his already battered person. The grip on his shoulder about took him to his knees mid-stride.

“Save whom?” the voice that had been known to cause a fully grown male to soil himself asked.

Fuck.

Sato’s voice called to them, demanding they pick up their pace; they were near the spot they were to exit from and they were running a touch behind if they wanted to meet their transport on time. Miroku avoided the Inu’s question for the moment, managing to get ahead of him and putting the demoness between them. He could feel the glare the Daiyoukai was sending into his back, knowing the guy was indeed pissed off that he did not answer him; it would not do for Sessh to know anything just yet. Not until they were completely away from this place anyway.

Just as they cleared the compound, Sesshoumaru felt it; it was faint at first, but it swiftly grew in intensity until his mind was clouded with a vicious and disorienting onslaught of emotion he could not ignore. The girl was distressed…distressed and fearful as well. His eyes tinged red as he struggled to focus on reaching their next destination; his eyes trained on the back of the being he was sure knew what the reason was, why his mate was so terror-stricken. It was not an easy task for the demon to take on, trying to make sure they got to where they needed to be while not losing any member of their small group along the way; the girl occupied his mind, refusing to relent. Something was wrong. He just knew it.

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