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Chapter Fifteen

Aniu ran as fast as her vulnerable form could take her. Why was she running? A creaky, eerie sound came from behind her before she was flown into the darkness. Her bare back hit a tree and splinters lodged themselves into her skin as she slid down the rough bark. When her breath came back she looked up at the tree.

The tree, the Sacred Tree.

Arms grabbed her and pulled her up to the spot where Inuyasha had been sealed by Kikyo’s arrow. Aniu closed her eyes against the pain of the rough bark cutting up her back. When it stopped she slowly opened her eyes. She was several feet above the ground, her feet were dangling. Only arms kept her from falling. Four arms held her still against the Tree of Ages and Aniu’s eyes gaze drifted up to the face of the four armed youkai.

Mr. Centipede. But she’s supposed to be dead.

She is dead but her body lives, came a quiet expressionless voice.

Aniu looked around for the owner of the voice. Mr. Centipede took this opportunity to wrap her body around the tree and Aniu. She squeezed hard on the tree, taking away Aniu’s breath. The body opened a little for Aniu to get some breath. Apparently she wasn’t wanted dead…yet.

Damn you. Show yourself!

A small girl stepped out from the shadows. She was clad in white with white hair and black eyes. She was so pale that she looked as white as her clothes. There was white flower in her hair and a mirror with a white frame in her hands.

Kanna.

Aniu, I shall take your soul.

Aniu opened her mouth but was cut off by Mr. Centipede’s body squeezing tightly down on her.

She struggled and all through her struggles she kept her eyes on Kanna and the mirror but Mr. Centipede squeezed tighter and tighter until Aniu couldn’t move. Kanna lifted the mirror out in front of her body.

A cool wind blew around Aniu and it felt like someone was trying to coax herself out of her body. The body tried to move toward the call but the youkai crushed it into the tree causing her spirit to emerge from her mouth and she was powerless to stop it.

Aniu did the only thing she could do. She screamed, screamed high and murderously, screamed until her throat was raw, screamed until tears came down her face. And still she screamed. Her screams rained endlessly until she felt cool hands stroking her hair and a soothing male voice whispering in her ear. Her screams turned to sobs and then small, quiet whimpers.

Still the voice and hands kept up their calm rhythm until Aniu looked up into those drowning amber eyes that she had become so accustomed to. His eyes were calm, sad and slightly confused. Aniu’s eyes were still leaking tears down her cheeks and probably looked as scared as ever.

Sesshoumaru leaned down as if for a kiss but at the last minute moved his mouth to the left side of her face. His breath was warm on her cheek before she felt a warm, wet, rough tongue move up her cheek. He was lapping up her tears. She started crying softly again because she remembered what she was thinking about before she was shot down. She cried because she had doubted his love for her.

Sesshoumaru moved his head to the other cheek, leaving a light kiss on her lips before licking up the tears on the other side.

Aniu moved her hands–that had been lying limply in her lap–up over his chest to lock around his neck. She hugged him weakly and put her head on his shoulder and cried softly into his naked flesh. Sesshoumaru put his hand on her neck and the other around her waist. He dug his face into the hair on the side of her head and left small, lingering kisses as she cried in his arms.

Aniu’s crying began to slow and she started to relax into the warmth of Sesshoumaru’s arms. She felt so weak, so tired but she couldn’t sleep. She never wanted to leave the warmth of her love’s arms for that dark place of death.

Sesshoumaru felt her tense so he pushed her onto the furs and put his body on top of hers. One of her hands went behind her head and the other dug into his hair and scratched softly at his scalp while she tried to clear her mind. Sesshoumaru kissed her forehead, then her nose and stopped just above her lips. It seemed a shame not to close the distance. So she did.

She pushed his head down and gave a soft peck on the lips. She gave him another, lingering a little longer then he moved down to her neck. He nuzzled and nipped at her neck getting small moans from her mouth. Though she was enjoying herself, she never moved her hands or made any move to touch him anymore than she already was.

He lifted his head from off her neck and looked her in the eyes. “Aniu, what’s wrong?”

“I’m scared,” she said softly.

“About what,” he asked.

“You.”

Aniu slid her hand out of his hair and put it on her stomach as he moved. He propped his upper body on his elbows and kept his lower body pinning Aniu’s to the floor. He stared straight into her eyes with a confused look. “Why?” he asked quietly.

“I’m afraid you’ll leave me,” she said turning away from his impenetrable stare.

He nuzzled her cheek with his. “Why would I leave you?”

“I was thinking that if I let you have my heart that you would break it into as many pieces as there are sacred jewel shards. I thought that because I had a dream where you died in my arms and I wondered why I would care if you lived or died. I knew that I loved you but there was this seed of doubt in my heart because of what you did to me last time I tried to escape.”

Sesshoumaru moved his head back and looked away from her. “I put that doubt there. I almost killed you and now you hate me. I don’t blame you it is I who should be blamed not you.” He started to move of her.

Aniu looped her arms under his and pulled him back down to her. He collapsed onto her chest and she just noticed that neither one of them had shirts on. Sesshoumaru moved his hands onto her shoulders and dug in with his claws to the point of breaking skin. Aniu just squeezed him tighter moving one of her hands up to his face. She stroked his face and her fingers came back wet. He was crying.

“Sshh. Oh Sesshoumaru, I don’t hate you. I love you and love rules out any hatred. Sesshoumaru I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”

Tears started trailing down her face as well. Silence radiated between the two as they cried and held each other close. Soon the crying stopped and Sesshoumaru lifted his head off of Aniu’s now wet chest. He crawled farther up her body and then collapsed with his face rubbing hers and his body pinning her to the ground. It was her turn now to lay kisses on the side of his head for comfort.

You'll be with me, like a handprint on my heart, and now whatever way our stories end; I know you have re-written mine, By being my friend…

Aniu started to drift off when she remembered the dream. She jerked so hard, she almost threw Sesshoumaru off of her. He pushed off her and leaned back on his knees. He rubbed his eyes asking, “What…What happened? What’s going on?”

Aniu was breathing heavily and hugging herself tightly. Sesshoumaru looked at her. “You’re going to claw up your arms if you don’t stop digging in with your nails.”

She looked down and pulled her claws out of her arms. The claws retracted and she watched the little half moons fill with blood. Sesshoumaru grabbed some cloth from nearby and began to wrap her arms. He was silent, waiting for Aniu to tell him what was wrong.

“I can’t go to sleep. I can’t go back.”

“What are you talking about?” he asked a little grumpily.

“My dream scared me and now I can’t sleep.”

“Tell me about your dream.”

She told him while he continued to wrap her arms in cloth. It seemed to her he just wanted an excuse to touch her. He was quiet for so long that it scared her even more. Her fear rolled off her in waves and slapped Sesshoumaru in the face. He turned to her and she hugged him fiercely. With the same amount of force he hugged her back.

It made sense why she didn’t want to go back to sleep but they both had to sleep sometime. He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head.

“I’m here, Aniu. I’ll protect you. Think happy dreams and you’ll be ok.”

She shook her head against his chest but he felt her begin to relax. In a few minutes she was asleep in his lap. He smiled and began to lie down with her still wrapped tightly in his arms. Sesshoumaru got them comfortable and then drifted off to sleep himself.

Look here she comes now, Bow down and stare in wonder. Oh, how we love you, No flaws when you're pretending…
* * * * *
Naraku watched the touching scene through Kanna’s mirror. He chuckled at his plan finally coming together.

“Good job Kanna. Now, time for Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha.”

Kanna nodded and walked out of the cave. Hakudoshi took her place and Naraku looked up at him from where he was sitting on the floor.

“Are you ready again?” Naraku asked.

Hakudoshi smirked. “Yes, Naraku. I am ready.”

* * * * *
Kouga leapt high onto a tree branch and looked around. He wasn’t really looking at the landscape but instead, was thinking back to what happened after Aniu passed out.

“What happened,” he had asked.

“You formed a threesome of power, a triumvirate,” Kikyo told them.

“What the hell does that mean,” Sesshoumaru asked.

“It means you are all tied metaphysically. Can’t you sense each other?”

“We’re standing right next to each other. Of course we can sense each other,” came Kouga’s sarcastic tones.

“I mean through your mind, mongrel.”

Kouga growled, “Don’t you dare call me a mongrel. I’m a pure blooded wolf, not like that mutt-face Inuyasha.”

Kikyo was silent for a moment. “Well then stop acting like a moron and try it.”

Kouga just stared at her before closing his eyes, sensing for Aniu and Sesshoumaru. He felt Sesshoumaru like a great weight in the back of his mind. Aniu was like the moon; you used its light but never expected it to be listening on your conversations.

He opened his eyes again. “Yeah, I feel them in my mind.”

Kouga closed his eyes again and searched for them metaphysically. He could see them sleeping together on the cave floor, right where he left them.

Sesshoumaru’s aura was wrapped around him like an icy-blue cloak but Aniu’s aura was almost non-existent. He only saw a spark of that golden flame. She also looked pale and unreal as if she were dead.

Something was wrong and he had to find them. Fast.

* * * * *
Chapter Sixteen

Come to me.

The half-immortal groaned in her sleep.

Come to me.

She twisted under the furs and groaned again.

Awake and come to me.

Sweat beaded on her forehead and on the back of her neck. It trickled down her naked spine, and clung to her chest.

Come to me, Aniu.

Gasping, the half-immortal opened her eyes and sat up, throwing the furs off her sweat-drenched body. Her eyes took in her surroundings. The cave, the small form of Rin, the nasty smelling toad, and her lover that lay next to her. She pushed herself up and walked toward the entrance, grabbing her kimono on the way. The golden rays crested the mountains to the east and glinted off her golden hair.

Come to me.

Aniu breathed deep and tried to rid her mind of the strange voice but found her legs moving beneath her. With a thought she stopped the movement for a slight second. With a blink she was in the forest and still moving. Moving toward her master.

Sesshoumaru woke at the sound of movement and turned his head to Aniu standing at the entrance of the cave they had took shelter in. He slowly got to his feet and turned back to his lover, only to find her gone. He half-ran and half-walked to the spot where she had been standing. Her rose-water scent tickled at his nostrils and he breathed it deep. She had gone off into the woods, for what reasons he was not sure of. He blurred and followed her quick form.

The pine-forest scent that the half-immortal had associated with Sesshoumaru teased her nose and she picked up the speed. She stopped for a second then changed direction, moving so fast her scent would fade before the taiyoukai even got to the spot she just stopped at. She headed north towards a similar but different scent of Sesshoumaru. Her nose picked up the pine and leaf-mold scent of the half-breed, Inuyasha.

Sesshoumaru stopped when the rose-water scent ceased to exist. The taiyoukai figured that he was roughly halfway into the woods but he was more concerned as to where his beloved had gone. He breathed deep and picked up a sickly, acid like smell.

Naraku.

The taiyoukai spun on his heel and was faced with the hanyou. A low rumbling growl built in his throat. “What have you done with her?” he snarled.

Naraku’s laugh filled the forest in an eerie way. It echoed off the trees and the empty space that was now filled with a mysterious fog. “Who are you speaking of, Sesshoumaru? I know of no person you speak of, for they do not exist anymore.”

Sesshoumaru was slightly confused by the words but he didn’t give it much thought before another scent filled his nostrils and a cold wind blew on the back of his neck.

Aniu.

* * * * *
Inuyasha spun when the familiar scent of the half-immortal was drifting past his nostrils. He took in a deep breath and found the rose-water scent growing stronger. But there was a lack of pine, meaning his brother was not with her. “That can’t be good,” the hanyou exclaimed aloud.

Kagome felt an old presence and a strong demonic aura coming from where Inuyasha was facing. It was Aniu but there was another aura coming from deeper in the woods. Almost a shadow of Aniu’s power. “What is it?” the young priestess asked the hanyou.

“Aniu, I think,” he replied gruffly.

Before he got out the ‘I think’, Aniu had appeared in the clearing that they had been standing in. She smiled and it wasn’t anything Inuyasha or Kagome recognized. Just as soon as they had seen that smile she disappeared into the forest again. She went back the same way she came and the hanyou and the priestess followed.

* * * * *
Kouga smelled Aniu’s sweet rosy scent in the forest but had no clue as to why it was there. The wolf demon stopped and closed his eyes. He could ‘see’ Aniu running so fast through the forest. He could feel the trees moving out of her way, he could smell the different trees; oak, birch, aspen, pine. The last one didn’t belong to a tree; it was Sesshoumaru. There was also this acrid scent riding the wind as the half-immortal steered toward it. It was that stupid hanyou, Naraku. Down the link created between the three-Sesshoumaru, Aniu and himself-he could feel another presence in the mind of the half-immortal.

Bring the half-breed, Aniu. Come and kill them both and you will feel such freedom. No pain; freedom.

Kouga could feel the pull of that command on his mind. He pulled back just enough so that he could only see the golden female. But she still didn’t have that golden glow of her aura. Her petite face was slack, her green eyes blank, and her wonderful mind empty. She was a shell of the Aniu he knew. He had to get her back.

The scent of magic, the beauty that's been, when love was wilder than the wind…

He pulled out of the connection and followed the smell of her rosy scent through the woods and towards his enemy, only to be stopped by the swipe of a blade.

“Hello Kouga,” came a young voice.

The wolf prince growled and turned to see Hakudoshi standing in front of him; Entei not far away.

* * * * *
Sesshoumaru could see Aniu staring up from where she stood beside him. He didn’t look over at her, keeping his hard gaze on that of Naraku’s. He didn’t do anything with her. Good. Now we will kill the bastard.

The taiyoukai was startled out of his killing gaze by a hand in his. His head turned downward to see his pale hand wrapped in a warm, golden one. Sesshoumaru shifted his head to look the half-immortal in the eye. She smiled at him and he almost smiled back until he saw the vacant expression in her eyes. He slowly started to pull his hand back from her. The smile on her façade turned evil and she gripped his hand in a bone-breaking grip and he almost cried out.

“ANIU,” came a voice from high in the branches.

Everyone turned to look and see the hanyou and his priestess fall through the branches to land gracefully next to the half-immortal and taiyoukai. Naraku sneered as Kagome slid off the hanyou’s back. She quickly drew her bow and notched and arrow before anyone blinked. The arrow glowed with a pink light.

“Go,” Kagome said and sent the arrow flying for Naraku. A flash filled the small area and everyone was blinded. When the blindness passed Kagome gasped. In front of Naraku stood a little girl clad in white. Her mirror shook in her hands and Kagome suddenly found herself with the arrow she had shot in her stomach. Inuyasha cried out her name.

The hanyou went to Kagome, only to be stopped by the bone-breaking crush of Aniu’s hand on his arm. Inuyasha struggled against his hold watching as Kagome bled before him. During this, Aniu had been staring toward Naraku and Sesshoumaru was staring at Aniu. He saw her give a slight incline of her head to Naraku. The dark hanyou saw it and Kanna took a few steps forward.

Sesshoumaru’s eyes widened at the recognition of what was about to happen. They were going to have their souls sucked out of them, like in Aniu’s dream. He gave a small sound that would have been taken for a ‘no’ before Kanna’s mirror focused on the threesome.

Aniu’s spine bowed toward the mirror and both Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha felt a tug on her very cores. Sesshoumaru gave an anguished cry as he felt the stab of Aniu’s betrayal. Inuyasha cried out for Kagome then gave an angry cry at Naraku. Their souls went through Aniu’s arms from where she held them. The white of their souls spilled out through her mouth as they were pulled into the mirror. She felt the last part of her soul leave her body and was locked away in the mirror. The boy’s souls were longer and harder to take; Naraku was slightly frustrated.

Inuyasha felt a darkness take over his mind and fell instantly to it as the rest of his soul was pulled from his body.

Say goodnight, Don't be afraid. Calling me, calling me as you fade to black.

Sesshoumaru felt the dark but didn’t invite it; he fought. He struggled to keep his soul in his body. The struggle was pointless though and his mind slowly succumbed to darkness. His last thought was to Aniu. Why?

I don’t want to be the one, the battles always choose, ‘cause inside I realize, that I’m the one confused…

Description
Chapter Fifteen

Aniu ran as fast as her vulnerable form could take her. Why was she running? A creaky, eerie sound came from behind her before she was flown into the darkness. Her bare back hit a tree and splinters lodged themselves into her skin as she slid down the rough bark. When her breath came back she looked up at the tree.

The tree, the Sacred Tree.

Arms grabbed her and pulled her up to the spot where Inuyasha had been sealed by Kikyo’s arrow. Aniu closed her eyes against the pain of the rough bark cutting up her back. When it stopped she slowly opened her eyes. She was several feet above the ground, her feet were dangling. Only arms kept her from falling. Four arms held her still against the Tree of Ages and Aniu’s eyes gaze drifted up to the face of the four armed youkai.

Mr. Centipede. But she’s supposed to be dead.

She is dead but her body lives, came a quiet expressionless voice.

Aniu looked around for the owner of the voice. Mr. Centipede took this opportunity to wrap her body around the tree and Aniu. She squeezed hard on the tree, taking away Aniu’s breath. The body opened a little for Aniu to get some breath. Apparently she wasn’t wanted dead…yet.

Damn you. Show yourself!

A small girl stepped out from the shadows. She was clad in white with white hair and black eyes. She was so pale that she looked as white as her clothes. There was white flower in her hair and a mirror with a white frame in her hands.

Kanna.

Aniu, I shall take your soul.

Aniu opened her mouth but was cut off by Mr. Centipede’s body squeezing tightly down on her.

She struggled and all through her struggles she kept her eyes on Kanna and the mirror but Mr. Centipede squeezed tighter and tighter until Aniu couldn’t move. Kanna lifted the mirror out in front of her body.

A cool wind blew around Aniu and it felt like someone was trying to coax herself out of her body. The body tried to move toward the call but the youkai crushed it into the tree causing her spirit to emerge from her mouth and she was powerless to stop it.

Aniu did the only thing she could do. She screamed, screamed high and murderously, screamed until her throat was raw, screamed until tears came down her face. And still she screamed. Her screams rained endlessly until she felt cool hands stroking her hair and a soothing male voice whispering in her ear. Her screams turned to sobs and then small, quiet whimpers.

Still the voice and hands kept up their calm rhythm until Aniu looked up into those drowning amber eyes that she had become so accustomed to. His eyes were calm, sad and slightly confused. Aniu’s eyes were still leaking tears down her cheeks and probably looked as scared as ever.

Sesshoumaru leaned down as if for a kiss but at the last minute moved his mouth to the left side of her face. His breath was warm on her cheek before she felt a warm, wet, rough tongue move up her cheek. He was lapping up her tears. She started crying softly again because she remembered what she was thinking about before she was shot down. She cried because she had doubted his love for her.

Sesshoumaru moved his head to the other cheek, leaving a light kiss on her lips before licking up the tears on the other side.

Aniu moved her hands–that had been lying limply in her lap–up over his chest to lock around his neck. She hugged him weakly and put her head on his shoulder and cried softly into his naked flesh. Sesshoumaru put his hand on her neck and the other around her waist. He dug his face into the hair on the side of her head and left small, lingering kisses as she cried in his arms.

Aniu’s crying began to slow and she started to relax into the warmth of Sesshoumaru’s arms. She felt so weak, so tired but she couldn’t sleep. She never wanted to leave the warmth of her love’s arms for that dark place of death.

Sesshoumaru felt her tense so he pushed her onto the furs and put his body on top of hers. One of her hands went behind her head and the other dug into his hair and scratched softly at his scalp while she tried to clear her mind. Sesshoumaru kissed her forehead, then her nose and stopped just above her lips. It seemed a shame not to close the distance. So she did.

She pushed his head down and gave a soft peck on the lips. She gave him another, lingering a little longer then he moved down to her neck. He nuzzled and nipped at her neck getting small moans from her mouth. Though she was enjoying herself, she never moved her hands or made any move to touch him anymore than she already was.

He lifted his head from off her neck and looked her in the eyes. “Aniu, what’s wrong?”

“I’m scared,” she said softly.

“About what,” he asked.

“You.”

Aniu slid her hand out of his hair and put it on her stomach as he moved. He propped his upper body on his elbows and kept his lower body pinning Aniu’s to the floor. He stared straight into her eyes with a confused look. “Why?” he asked quietly.

“I’m afraid you’ll leave me,” she said turning away from his impenetrable stare.

He nuzzled her cheek with his. “Why would I leave you?”

“I was thinking that if I let you have my heart that you would break it into as many pieces as there are sacred jewel shards. I thought that because I had a dream where you died in my arms and I wondered why I would care if you lived or died. I knew that I loved you but there was this seed of doubt in my heart because of what you did to me last time I tried to escape.”

Sesshoumaru moved his head back and looked away from her. “I put that doubt there. I almost killed you and now you hate me. I don’t blame you it is I who should be blamed not you.” He started to move of her.

Aniu looped her arms under his and pulled him back down to her. He collapsed onto her chest and she just noticed that neither one of them had shirts on. Sesshoumaru moved his hands onto her shoulders and dug in with his claws to the point of breaking skin. Aniu just squeezed him tighter moving one of her hands up to his face. She stroked his face and her fingers came back wet. He was crying.

“Sshh. Oh Sesshoumaru, I don’t hate you. I love you and love rules out any hatred. Sesshoumaru I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”

Tears started trailing down her face as well. Silence radiated between the two as they cried and held each other close. Soon the crying stopped and Sesshoumaru lifted his head off of Aniu’s now wet chest. He crawled farther up her body and then collapsed with his face rubbing hers and his body pinning her to the ground. It was her turn now to lay kisses on the side of his head for comfort.

You'll be with me, like a handprint on my heart, and now whatever way our stories end; I know you have re-written mine, By being my friend…

Aniu started to drift off when she remembered the dream. She jerked so hard, she almost threw Sesshoumaru off of her. He pushed off her and leaned back on his knees. He rubbed his eyes asking, “What…What happened? What’s going on?”

Aniu was breathing heavily and hugging herself tightly. Sesshoumaru looked at her. “You’re going to claw up your arms if you don’t stop digging in with your nails.”

She looked down and pulled her claws out of her arms. The claws retracted and she watched the little half moons fill with blood. Sesshoumaru grabbed some cloth from nearby and began to wrap her arms. He was silent, waiting for Aniu to tell him what was wrong.

“I can’t go to sleep. I can’t go back.”

“What are you talking about?” he asked a little grumpily.

“My dream scared me and now I can’t sleep.”

“Tell me about your dream.”

She told him while he continued to wrap her arms in cloth. It seemed to her he just wanted an excuse to touch her. He was quiet for so long that it scared her even more. Her fear rolled off her in waves and slapped Sesshoumaru in the face. He turned to her and she hugged him fiercely. With the same amount of force he hugged her back.

It made sense why she didn’t want to go back to sleep but they both had to sleep sometime. He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head.

“I’m here, Aniu. I’ll protect you. Think happy dreams and you’ll be ok.”

She shook her head against his chest but he felt her begin to relax. In a few minutes she was asleep in his lap. He smiled and began to lie down with her still wrapped tightly in his arms. Sesshoumaru got them comfortable and then drifted off to sleep himself.

Look here she comes now, Bow down and stare in wonder. Oh, how we love you, No flaws when you're pretending…
* * * * *
Naraku watched the touching scene through Kanna’s mirror. He chuckled at his plan finally coming together.

“Good job Kanna. Now, time for Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha.”

Kanna nodded and walked out of the cave. Hakudoshi took her place and Naraku looked up at him from where he was sitting on the floor.

“Are you ready again?” Naraku asked.

Hakudoshi smirked. “Yes, Naraku. I am ready.”

* * * * *
Kouga leapt high onto a tree branch and looked around. He wasn’t really looking at the landscape but instead, was thinking back to what happened after Aniu passed out.

“What happened,” he had asked.

“You formed a threesome of power, a triumvirate,” Kikyo told them.

“What the hell does that mean,” Sesshoumaru asked.

“It means you are all tied metaphysically. Can’t you sense each other?”

“We’re standing right next to each other. Of course we can sense each other,” came Kouga’s sarcastic tones.

“I mean through your mind, mongrel.”

Kouga growled, “Don’t you dare call me a mongrel. I’m a pure blooded wolf, not like that mutt-face Inuyasha.”

Kikyo was silent for a moment. “Well then stop acting like a moron and try it.”

Kouga just stared at her before closing his eyes, sensing for Aniu and Sesshoumaru. He felt Sesshoumaru like a great weight in the back of his mind. Aniu was like the moon; you used its light but never expected it to be listening on your conversations.

He opened his eyes again. “Yeah, I feel them in my mind.”

Kouga closed his eyes again and searched for them metaphysically. He could see them sleeping together on the cave floor, right where he left them.

Sesshoumaru’s aura was wrapped around him like an icy-blue cloak but Aniu’s aura was almost non-existent. He only saw a spark of that golden flame. She also looked pale and unreal as if she were dead.

Something was wrong and he had to find them. Fast.

* * * * *
Chapter Sixteen

Come to me.

The half-immortal groaned in her sleep.

Come to me.

She twisted under the furs and groaned again.

Awake and come to me.

Sweat beaded on her forehead and on the back of her neck. It trickled down her naked spine, and clung to her chest.

Come to me, Aniu.

Gasping, the half-immortal opened her eyes and sat up, throwing the furs off her sweat-drenched body. Her eyes took in her surroundings. The cave, the small form of Rin, the nasty smelling toad, and her lover that lay next to her. She pushed herself up and walked toward the entrance, grabbing her kimono on the way. The golden rays crested the mountains to the east and glinted off her golden hair.

Come to me.

Aniu breathed deep and tried to rid her mind of the strange voice but found her legs moving beneath her. With a thought she stopped the movement for a slight second. With a blink she was in the forest and still moving. Moving toward her master.

Sesshoumaru woke at the sound of movement and turned his head to Aniu standing at the entrance of the cave they had took shelter in. He slowly got to his feet and turned back to his lover, only to find her gone. He half-ran and half-walked to the spot where she had been standing. Her rose-water scent tickled at his nostrils and he breathed it deep. She had gone off into the woods, for what reasons he was not sure of. He blurred and followed her quick form.

The pine-forest scent that the half-immortal had associated with Sesshoumaru teased her nose and she picked up the speed. She stopped for a second then changed direction, moving so fast her scent would fade before the taiyoukai even got to the spot she just stopped at. She headed north towards a similar but different scent of Sesshoumaru. Her nose picked up the pine and leaf-mold scent of the half-breed, Inuyasha.

Sesshoumaru stopped when the rose-water scent ceased to exist. The taiyoukai figured that he was roughly halfway into the woods but he was more concerned as to where his beloved had gone. He breathed deep and picked up a sickly, acid like smell.

Naraku.

The taiyoukai spun on his heel and was faced with the hanyou. A low rumbling growl built in his throat. “What have you done with her?” he snarled.

Naraku’s laugh filled the forest in an eerie way. It echoed off the trees and the empty space that was now filled with a mysterious fog. “Who are you speaking of, Sesshoumaru? I know of no person you speak of, for they do not exist anymore.”

Sesshoumaru was slightly confused by the words but he didn’t give it much thought before another scent filled his nostrils and a cold wind blew on the back of his neck.

Aniu.

* * * * *
Inuyasha spun when the familiar scent of the half-immortal was drifting past his nostrils. He took in a deep breath and found the rose-water scent growing stronger. But there was a lack of pine, meaning his brother was not with her. “That can’t be good,” the hanyou exclaimed aloud.

Kagome felt an old presence and a strong demonic aura coming from where Inuyasha was facing. It was Aniu but there was another aura coming from deeper in the woods. Almost a shadow of Aniu’s power. “What is it?” the young priestess asked the hanyou.

“Aniu, I think,” he replied gruffly.

Before he got out the ‘I think’, Aniu had appeared in the clearing that they had been standing in. She smiled and it wasn’t anything Inuyasha or Kagome recognized. Just as soon as they had seen that smile she disappeared into the forest again. She went back the same way she came and the hanyou and the priestess followed.

* * * * *
Kouga smelled Aniu’s sweet rosy scent in the forest but had no clue as to why it was there. The wolf demon stopped and closed his eyes. He could ‘see’ Aniu running so fast through the forest. He could feel the trees moving out of her way, he could smell the different trees; oak, birch, aspen, pine. The last one didn’t belong to a tree; it was Sesshoumaru. There was also this acrid scent riding the wind as the half-immortal steered toward it. It was that stupid hanyou, Naraku. Down the link created between the three-Sesshoumaru, Aniu and himself-he could feel another presence in the mind of the half-immortal.

Bring the half-breed, Aniu. Come and kill them both and you will feel such freedom. No pain; freedom.

Kouga could feel the pull of that command on his mind. He pulled back just enough so that he could only see the golden female. But she still didn’t have that golden glow of her aura. Her petite face was slack, her green eyes blank, and her wonderful mind empty. She was a shell of the Aniu he knew. He had to get her back.

The scent of magic, the beauty that's been, when love was wilder than the wind…

He pulled out of the connection and followed the smell of her rosy scent through the woods and towards his enemy, only to be stopped by the swipe of a blade.

“Hello Kouga,” came a young voice.

The wolf prince growled and turned to see Hakudoshi standing in front of him; Entei not far away.

* * * * *
Sesshoumaru could see Aniu staring up from where she stood beside him. He didn’t look over at her, keeping his hard gaze on that of Naraku’s. He didn’t do anything with her. Good. Now we will kill the bastard.

The taiyoukai was startled out of his killing gaze by a hand in his. His head turned downward to see his pale hand wrapped in a warm, golden one. Sesshoumaru shifted his head to look the half-immortal in the eye. She smiled at him and he almost smiled back until he saw the vacant expression in her eyes. He slowly started to pull his hand back from her. The smile on her façade turned evil and she gripped his hand in a bone-breaking grip and he almost cried out.

“ANIU,” came a voice from high in the branches.

Everyone turned to look and see the hanyou and his priestess fall through the branches to land gracefully next to the half-immortal and taiyoukai. Naraku sneered as Kagome slid off the hanyou’s back. She quickly drew her bow and notched and arrow before anyone blinked. The arrow glowed with a pink light.

“Go,” Kagome said and sent the arrow flying for Naraku. A flash filled the small area and everyone was blinded. When the blindness passed Kagome gasped. In front of Naraku stood a little girl clad in white. Her mirror shook in her hands and Kagome suddenly found herself with the arrow she had shot in her stomach. Inuyasha cried out her name.

The hanyou went to Kagome, only to be stopped by the bone-breaking crush of Aniu’s hand on his arm. Inuyasha struggled against his hold watching as Kagome bled before him. During this, Aniu had been staring toward Naraku and Sesshoumaru was staring at Aniu. He saw her give a slight incline of her head to Naraku. The dark hanyou saw it and Kanna took a few steps forward.

Sesshoumaru’s eyes widened at the recognition of what was about to happen. They were going to have their souls sucked out of them, like in Aniu’s dream. He gave a small sound that would have been taken for a ‘no’ before Kanna’s mirror focused on the threesome.

Aniu’s spine bowed toward the mirror and both Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha felt a tug on her very cores. Sesshoumaru gave an anguished cry as he felt the stab of Aniu’s betrayal. Inuyasha cried out for Kagome then gave an angry cry at Naraku. Their souls went through Aniu’s arms from where she held them. The white of their souls spilled out through her mouth as they were pulled into the mirror. She felt the last part of her soul leave her body and was locked away in the mirror. The boy’s souls were longer and harder to take; Naraku was slightly frustrated.

Inuyasha felt a darkness take over his mind and fell instantly to it as the rest of his soul was pulled from his body.

Say goodnight, Don't be afraid. Calling me, calling me as you fade to black.

Sesshoumaru felt the dark but didn’t invite it; he fought. He struggled to keep his soul in his body. The struggle was pointless though and his mind slowly succumbed to darkness. His last thought was to Aniu. Why?

I don’t want to be the one, the battles always choose, ‘cause inside I realize, that I’m the one confused…