Yield

Chapter 1

The roar of the crowd is what I live for now. Ever since that half-breed betrayed me.

*Flashback*

The rough steel cutting into my wrists awoke me. I gaze up, bewildered, at the dark sky. Where was I? I'm lying down, shackled in a wagon, and I have no idea where Inuyasha is. I struggle against the bindings, making them cut into me even more, rattling the short chains. I glimpse white and red at the corner of my vision and my head whips to that side.

"Inuyasha!" I yell, even as he's just beside the wagon. He's come to save me! But why hasn't he taken me yet?

"Keep her quiet."

I strain my head to see the owner of the rough voice, but the board of the wagon is in the way.

"We had a deal" I hear Inuyasha say.

"So we did…"

A deal?

"Inuyasha…"

Oh no. I know that quiet, emotionless voice.

'Kikyo? What is she doing here?'

Abruptly the wagon starts to move. I bring my head up to watch as Kikyo is pushed towards Inuyasha, who catches her when she stumbles.

"Nice trade, half-demon."

'Trade? Given away for Kikyo!'

My thoughts turn frantic. Where am I being taken? Does Inuyasha have a plan to betray them and rescue me?

"Goodbye, Kagome" I hear Inuyasha call. Then I'm knocked on the head and darkness consumes me.

*End Flashback*

I'd waited months for him to come back and save me from the hell I was being trained for. After half a year, though, I gave up hope and simply learned to survive. The fights were brutal, in and out of the ring, and I needed to train my powers if I wanted to have any chance at staying alive. It has now been a year.

"Get in there already."

The guard roughly gripping my shoulders pulled me from my dark thoughts. I glared at him as I let my aura flare and my powers rose in warning.

"You're obviously new. Don't touch me." I warned him. The other guards had long since learned that I would purify them if they touched me. I watched him take a step back with a fearful expression before I turned and made my way into the arena where the mutilated body of another human was being dragged out.

I reached out to check the auras around the arena. Most were familiar, but I sensed more newcomers than was usual. Shrugging it off, I turned all of my attention to my opponent that stood across from me. He was a kitsune, and he looked so much like an older version of Shippo it made my heart ache. He was also the only half-demon I had ever been faced with. His hair was a reddish brown color and it was long, tied into a ponytail high atop his head. He had green eyes the color of emeralds and they were narrowed and cold. His tail was longer than Shippo's and he rested it on his right shoulder. His body was tall and lean, well-muscled. He wore white silk hakamas and his chest was left bare, as that was the only thing we were allowed. Women wore a plain white haori and fitted white hakamas. The men wore only hakamas. We were, however, trained in all sorts of weapons. At his waist rested a simple katana. Confused, I glanced around. Surely my opponent would have a much better weapon. The glance cost me as the yell sounded, and a body slammed into mine, taking me to the ground and pinning me, a sword pointed at my throat. Smirking, I called my powers to the surface and quickly slid my hands up to his chest. A small blast had him lying on his back, 10 yards away. I got up and pulled my own blade out of its sheath, the familiar weight reminding me how hard I had worked for this. My reputation would not be ruined by a half-demon. My powers flowed into the sword, making it glow a light blue color. My opponent got up and quickly came at me, swinging his sword in an arc across his body. I blocked with my own and was shocked when green sparks flew. My blade had always cancelled out any demonic powers my opponents weapons might be infused with. We pushed away from each other and simply stared for a few precious seconds.

There was a sutra on the handle of the sword.

And it was cancelling my reiki.

Producing a small barrier around myself, I sent a small blast towards him. He brought his sword up to block it, and rushed me. The second his sword came into contact with my barrier, the barrier broke down. I brought my sword up to block the blow and then spun my body to the side, aiming a blast of reiki at his unprotected back. He didn't have time to block it and the impact knocked him forward, his sword flew from his hand and he landed hard in the dirt several yards away. His skin was burning away swiftly as my reiki coursed through his body, quickly spreading until I went to his side and worked on healing him, only enough to stop the spread of purifying energy. He was unconscious, and would not last much longer if not healed more. I glanced up at the boss as the crowd booed and shouted for me to end it, even knowing I couldn't until given permission. He slowly shook his head and motioned for me to heal him enough where he would not die from his wounds. The crowd roared and continued their insistence that I kill him. I continued my healing, however, and after 5 minutes, he was good enough to be dragged out and ready to be patched up by the medics that were kept in a separate room at the side of the arena.

"Kagome has won! Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes our fights for the night. Please make your way to the next room where the victors will be auctioned and sold off to the highest bidder!" came the loud announcement from the top row of the arena stands.

I headed to a back room where I was cleaned up and dressed once more in a dark blue yukata that brought out my strangely colored sapphire blue eyes, and my knee-length hair was brushed out for the first time in a week. I was still left shoe less as I was then led to the auctioning room, and walked up onto the small wooden stage that ran along the length of the back wall. I stood at the end of the line, as I was the only female, and the last to arrive. I'd been to plenty of auctions and was now used to the sneers and snarls of the other victors and some of the bidders that were filing in. They did this because I was, once again, up on the platform. And I would, once again, probably not be chosen by any buyer. The room never failed to fill up quickly, but tonight it was overfilled. Why was tonight so special? My confusion continued as I watched the large crowd hurry to get out of someone's way. A very tall someone with silver hair, and pale skin. As he made his way to the very front, a path cleared for him, I got a clear look at the rest of the very tall, very regal demon. A Prussian blue crescent moon adorned the center of his forehead, and he had piercing golden eyes that were narrowed and expressionless, so unlike Inuyasha's expressive eyes and face. I'd always known how he was feeling just by looking at him, but with this demon I couldn't tell no matter how hard I looked. He wore a red and white haori, plain white billowy hakamas and a purple and yellow obi holding 2 swords at his waist. The hakamas were tucked into small black boots and his whole presence screamed royalty. Maybe he was a lord? But from where? And why was he here?

"Lord Sesshomaru! Oh, what brings you here my lord?"

The name sounded familiar and I wondered where I'd heard it before. When it hit me, I held back a gasp of shock and simply continued to stare, wide-eyed, at the brother Inuyasha had reluctantly told me he had. His full-demon, aristocratic, apparently heartless half-brother.

In answer to the question, Sesshomaru simply narrowed his eyes and motioned for the auction to continue. As it started, the first victor that stepped up to be auctioned off was quickly claimed by a rather small demoness whose eyes gleamed like rubies. The next 4 victors were also sold off rather quick, and when it came down to me, I stepped up and awaited the usual insults and reasons as to why no one would take me. My eyes closed and I held my head up high, refusing to let them see my hatred for this, for being put on display like a slave. I guess that's what I basically was. A slave that fought on command.

"She's a human."

"She'd purify me as soon as i got her!"

The insults continued and got louder as the seconds passed. I would be lead off stage and put back in my cell if I could last just a few more seconds.

"Silence."

The cold, toneless command makes me snap my eyes open and search out the lord again. I knew it had to have been him, for no one else could have made the rest listen. They had actually shut their mouths and were staring warily at the tall demon.

"My lord?" came the hesitant voice of the lower class demon leading the auction.

"I will take her."