She watched the setting sun bathe the city below in amber. Eyes closing,inhaling sharply, her ears tuned into the bustling traffic on the streets below, trying to drown out the visions of blood pooling beneath her feet and the scent of iron clinging to her. The pulse of the city hummed through her but did nothing to stop the ill feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. "Kagome" the apprehensive whisper floated on the air, but she refused to open her eyes and acknowledge what she had done. If only things could have gone differently, if only she could have prevented that man's death, then her life wouldn't be balanced on the edge of a sword.
Knowing she couldn't stall any longer she turned finding hazel eyes filled with concern. "Kagome I.." With a small hesitant smile Kagome placed her hand on her friends slender shoulder. "Nothing can be done now Sango. It is fate that I find myself once again in a position where my life hangs in the balance. It was my decision and I have to live with it, from here on out Sango, whatever happens let it happen." Sango followed Kagome her head hung low her thoughts going a mile a minute, for this could be the last time she saw her friend alive, and it was all her fault.
The half hour car ride to the compound was filled with haunting silence, as they approached the massive wooden gate, she couldn't hold her silence any longer, her grip on the steering wheel tightened her knuckles turning white, and her heartbeat pounding like a drum within her ears. " I could turn back, we could make a run for it, until his anger subsides. Kagome we don't have to do this, it was might fault were in this mess let me fix it please." Kagome turned her dark brown eyes passive, giving Sango a sympathetic smile. "I told you already Sango this is my decision, if we run her will find us and it will be much worse. My father's anger only grows these days, facing him is the only way. I at least have a seventy five percent chance of living."
Sango choked back a sob trying to hold back her tears, she would be damned if the demon beyond these walls saw even an inkling of her pain. But her eyes prickled with tears clouding her vision, she slammed on the break as she barely made out an imagine dart infront of her car. Kagome braced herself against the dashboard as her body was thrown forward. "What the hell!" Kagome shrieked as she braced herself against the dashboard her body propelled forward. Turning to look at Sango the river of tears streaming down her face making Kagome's heart sink. Sango's voice cracked "It's all my fault! If you die tonight it will all be my fault. Do you realize that?" Kagome shook her head tugging off the seat belt to pull her friend into a hug. "Sango, it's not your fault, it is mine. I knew he was to be kept alive, I knew that if I killed him it would be my death sentence. But fuck I'd rather die than let you be killed. You're my sister, you're the only one who has consistently been at my side and fought with me and for me. In your eyes I have always been worthy of love and compassion. I was not going to let a dirtbag like Shirota take you from your family, I would not force my fate on Kohaku. I was selfish Sango! You went in willing to die, you knew what you had to do, but I couldn't let you face death."
Sango's shaking turned to slight trembles in Kagome's arms, her breathing erratic as she tried to calm herself."I will take responsibility for this Sango, and you will let me." Kagome let go of Sango and tilted her chin up "Wipe the tears from your eyes and come in when your ready, don't give him the satisfaction of seeing your pain. If you do the twisted monster will unleash worse on you than me. If I am meant for death this night I will take it and I will go knowing that you and your family are safe to see another day." Sango nooded wiping her tear stained cheeks, as Kagome reached for the door handle. Turning back one last time Kagome smiled "Sango regardless if it is death or punishment, don't interfere. But if he gets a wild hair up his ass and he intends to call you out, run. Take Kohaku and grab Miroku and run and don't stop until you heard he his dead."
Kagome stepped out of the car, taking in a deep breath. The smell of damp earth, with a brush of sweetness from the magnolia trees that surrounded the property gave her a small comfort as she approached the large manor house. Servants bustling about, stealing glances at Kagome and sharing hushed whispers between each other as if they had some inkling of what she was about to walk into, gave little to assuage the sudden despair that engulfed her as she entered her home.
The wood pane floor screeched so loudly with every step she took she doubted that her father was unaware of her presence within his house. Each breath she took became more shallow, her heart about to beat right out of her chest, and the realization that this could be the end of her took hold so much so she was unaware of the shadow following her along the path to her father's office.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Kagome was jostled from her thoughts, looking upward into golden eyes burning with sheer rage. A clawed hand grasped her wrists pulling her so she was standing a hair's breadth away from the imposing half demon before her. Kagome grit her teeth,she would not give the this man the satisfaction of her struggling to break free from his iron grip. He leaned forward his silver hair shielding them both from any onlookers that may have been lurking about.
"What is wrong with me? What the hell is wrong with you filthy mutt. You're the one about to remove my hand from the rest of my body." Her voice was low, and unwavering as the grip around her wrist only tightened, she could feel the lack of blood circulation but she would not bend to his will. A low rumble grew from his chest till an audible growl filled the air, the sound would have made any man fall to their knees and beg for their life. But Kagome was no man, nor was she unable to protect herself. A faint white glow began to spark from her hand her spiritual aura awakening, the golden eyed half demon before her began hissing, as the purification spell began to eat at his flesh. His ears swiveling atop his head but his grip was like a vice, his stubbornness equal to hers. Kagome would not let him win not today. "Maybe a week as a pathetic mortal will remind you who you are dealing with Inuyaha." Kagome met his eyes and he bared his fangs, in a swift motion he had her back against the wall, his claws lengthening on his free hand raising it ready to strike. Kagome kept her eyes open never altering her gaze from his, waiting for the familiar sting of pain to rip through her.
"Enough" a deep commanding voice reverberated through the air. The word however fell on deaf ears, the hand around her wrists only closed tighter the smell of burning flesh permeating the air. The broad masculine chest pushing further against her caging her fully as a clawed hand swiped at her shoulder, blood spraying against the wall. "I SAID ENOUGH INUYASHA" The half demon turned thrusting his blood stained claws in the direction of the voice. Kagome's blood becoming razors in the air shrouded in a pale pink light the power of purification clinging to her weaponized bood. The blood struck only air, an audible gasp came from Kagome, as Inuyasha let her wrist go backing away from her turing slightly punching the wall leaving a fist sized hole. Kagome glanced at Inuyasha but turned away when the door at the end of the hall cracked open and there stood father. The look on his face was all to familiar, disappointment, dread, hatred, disgust. It still panged her to know that they had not always been in a tumultuous family circumstance, there was a time long ago that those same brown eyes that looked at her now, held compassion, love, understanding, and kindness. But, that was long gone the fates had changed and there was no returning to a simple life not when your father had become the most powerful syndicate boss in all of Japan.
Kagome stood int her father office scanning the area. It seemed she was really in for it today because all the escape routes were guarded by her father personal guard. She watched as her father passed back and forth, the only saving grace for her at the moment was the dog demon that stood next to him. As long as the Taisho was there she would not die, beaten half to death maybe, but her god father would not allow her father to put her to death.
"Do you realize what you have done?" Her father asked running his hands through his hair, teeth gnawing against each other. "I realize it was not the best course of action but it was Sango's life or his. I was not going to let her die to bring back some third rate opium dealer, so you could make a statement to those rampant small gangs running a muck in the third sector." Kagome moved toward the desk and stared into her father's eyes, he met her gaze and held it for what seemed like a for the first time she noticed he looked tired, his eyes were not the brilliant brown that burned with every emotion he held, his skin was pale and laced with lines that had deepened with time. Kagome knew that if she saw this so did his enemies. He averted his gaze and slammed his fists on to his desk
"What you have done is kill the only viable connection to the Red Dragon triad we had left. It was not the opium dens we are after, it is whoever is behind the attacks on my businesses. " Kagome rolled her eyes "DO YOU THINK THIS IS A JOKE!" he rowered but Kagome did not flinch. "The Red Dragon Triad is a myth. You're hunting whispers, with no tangible evidence and putting the lives of people I love at risk." Kagome let out a dark laugh "You dare question me daughter?" Her father's voice was void of all humanity. "You dare question me in my own home in front of my men, in front of my guests."
Kagome looked up and around the room every one of his men tensed their hands itching to draw their weapons, itching to strike down the one who dare call out there master. "If you were a son I would have ended you by now." His voice was laced with the promise of death. He drew a knife from his hakama, and slammed it full force into the desk embedding it into the wood. "For your insolence you will pay with your blood, pull it out and prove your humility to this family and all that has been gifted to you." Kagome hesitated for only a moment before reaching out clasping her hand around the blade, below the hilt, and let the knife splice into the palm of her hand, biting her lip, pushing up on the hilt to remove the dagger from the wood, blood spilling like a river down onto the desk. She struggled the knife embedded deeply, to much to remove easily, her hand bled and she pulled the knife once more and was able to loosen it enough to free it. Relaxing her hand the gash so deep surely she would need stitches. Her father scoffed, "Now that you have freed the blade, you will accept your punishment." He took the knife from her bleeding hand and turned her palm upward from her unmarred hand. Kagome took a deep breath as her father brought the blade down upon her right hand, the screen tearing cleanly as he racked the bladed deeply against her skin.
"ENOUGH" the smooth voice of the dog demon lord standing at her fathers left cut the tension slightly, and Kagome retracted her hands both bleeding, dripping blood onto the floor. The pain searing against her mind, but she would hold her tears she would hold her anguish, she would not let any of the men in the room see her weak.
"Kazuya, to raise your hand to your daughter is more of a shame than of her mistake this night. She is but a child, your child, does she really deserve your wrath? Have you forgotten the flesh you mare is the flesh you gave life to? "
Kagome watched as her father turned to the one of the deadliest demons in this realm with a look a pure rage. Static began to in the air a small display of power from the spiritualist and demon neither one willing to back down. "In my home you will hold your tongue. I do question your methods with your children or with your mistakes." His eyes darted back to Kagome, she looked away. Not willing to acknowledge his demeaning words.
The demon lord stepped closer and placed his hand atop her father's shoulder. "I am speaking to you as one father to another. No child is a mistake they are our flesh and blood regardless of the circumstance, we can not allow our anger and hatred to push us to forget that." The air was still for a moment, Kazuya's face settled with the realization of what he had done. He turned to Kagome and looked at her hands dripping with blood. "Leave" Kagome turned and walked slowly out of the room
Once she was safely beyond reach, she began to feel light headed, losing her balance she prepared herself to hit the floor, but darkness enveloped her before she collapsed.
