Yes, another update already! Well, the thing is, I may not be able to get on until early next week, and so, I thought, this being a new story and all, that I would throw in another chapter for my readers' pleasure! I hope you all enjoy it!
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Protection
Chapter Two: Trouble Brews
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"We were strangers, starting out on a journey…never dreaming, of what we'd have to go through…" Ever since she had watched the American movie, "Anastasia", Kagome has found something special in that song. For some reason she often finds herself singing it, even now, as she strolls down the street, the sun's warm rays slowly disappearing. Glancing over her shoulder, she frowns very softly as she watches the glowing orb sink closer and closer to the horizon. Perhaps she should return to the Feudal era tonight, in order to get Inuyasha. Releasing a faint sigh she ducks under a low hanging sign and rubs the back of her neck in a slightly sheepish manner. An older woman sweeping the front of her store offers a friendly smile.
"Greetings, young Higurashi!" Kagome grins happily and waves to the kind elder.
"Hello, Grandmother Tess!" With a smile she continues down the sidewalk, her thoughts back on a certain hanyou…'It's not like I really want him here, or anything…' she thinks with another sigh as she pauses at the road crossing. 'But he's always so…edgy and reckless when he's human…more so then usual. He'd be safer here…with…me…' Her cheeks tint pink for no real reason, and Kagome laughs softly to herself. 'With me. Humph. Like I really care…it's just that there are no demons in my time…well not many. Besides…it's kinda nice to have him here…wait a minute! Tell me I did not just think that!' Her face warms a bit and the young miko crosses her arms as she crosses the street. "Keh." She complains before stopping suddenly in her tracks at the other side, her brown eyes wide. "Oh jeeze! I'm even starting to sound like him!" She gasps, pressing her hands against her flushing cheeks before releasing a soft groan.
After a moment she shakes her head, giggles nervously, and continues down the sidewalk. What's wrong with her anyway? This was supposed to be a fun, relaxing walk to the store and back, an excuse to leave the dreaded task of studying behind. Dropping her arms to her side Kagome resumes her humming as she makes her way towards the small store just a few blocks away. Just as she's trying to come up with the next phrase in the song she feels a strange faint tickling sensation along the back of her neck. Brown eyes widen she listens carefully, her quick pace faltering.
At first there is nothing but the faint roar of cars and far-off conversations occurring much farther down the street. Then she hears it…footsteps…and they don't belong to a friend; she can feel the danger approaching. Shivering slightly, she picks up her pace and tries to remain calm. The stranger's steps quicken as well…and are joined by another…then another. Kagome shivers again. 'Oh no…'
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'Damn it! Why t'night of all frickin' nights!' Inuyasha fumes silently as he bounds up the well's old walls with ease and leaps out of the shrine with a single leap. Silver hair streaming behind him, he races towards the Higurashi household before skidding to a stop and sniffing the air gingerly. Kagome's scent is stronger leading away from the house. Growling lowly, the hanyou bounds off again, his golden gaze hard yet almost worried. One of his dog-like ears gives an uneasy twitch as the trail he's following wavers. "Shit!" He curses out loud, his voice the only clear sound in the coming night's air. The sun's lowering at a fast rate, and his human blood is beginning to stir, taking power over the demon within. He's losing Kagome's scent! If he turns human, he'll lose her trail for sure!
"Com'on, wench! Where are you?" He demands as he trips on his landing. Stumbling, he catches his balance and begins to run down the sidewalk, his fangs bared in anger. He hates turning human…always has. By the rate of his loss of demon traits, he'll be completely mortal in a few minutes time! 'I gotta find Kagome before that!' A few passerby stare in amazement at the red-clothed, silver-haired, dog-eared being racing by; Inuyasha completely ignores them, having only one thing on his mind. 'Somethin's wrong, damn it!' He closes his eyes briefly, and fights the strange feeling fluttering in his chest. ' …I said I'd always protect her…'
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Kagome picks up her pace, quickly breaking out into a run. She releases a faint scream and skids backwards, nearly falling over, when two burly looking men step in front of her with malice in their eyes.
"Hello, sweet-thing." One chortles, cracking the knuckles of one hand into the other as he flashes a rather frightening grin.
"Oh!" The young miko gasps, stumbling back a few more paces before running right into another huge man towering over her.
"Hey there, sugar-doll." He chuckles, clasping his hands on her shoulder in a tight painful grip.
"Hey! Hanase! Let go!" Kagome cries, trying to squirm from her captor's grasp. He slips her out of her jacket in one fluid motion and hands it off to one of his men.
"Many apologies," the man from before grins, advancing on her with a deep lust in his eyes. "But we're rather starved…and you're just the sweet-thing to satisfy our hunger."
"NEVER!" Kagome shrieks, slamming her knee right between the frightening man's legs. He instantly keels over, groaning in extreme pain.
"Wretch!" The iron grip on her shoulders increases, causing pain to shot through her collarbone.
"She's a feisty one, ain't she, Kakui?" Another man offers, his grin just as hungry as the man holding her. "Shall we teach her a lesson?" Kagome squirms in her captor's grip, her breathing coming harder, more frightened. The sun begins to lower, the round edge of the glowing orb beginning to sink beyond the horizon. Kagome releases a soft sob, the warmth from the sun leaving her slowly, casting coldness upon the young miko.
"Oh yes…I think we'll enjoy this…"
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"DAMN IT!" Inuyasha stumbles again, losing his balance momentarily as his long silver locks suddenly darken into a deep ebony hue. Cursing loudly, he grabs onto a nearby lamppost and prevents a tumble into the earth. Releasing his hold he pushes himself forward, his golden gaze darkening into violet as he runs forth, his once keen sense of smell weakening drastically as the final changes from hanyou to human take place. His dog-ears have vanished, being replaced with weaker human ears, and with them…his hopes of finding the miko before sunset.
"Com'on, Wench! Where are you?" He demands into the air, ignoring the frightened stare of an older woman who had watched his entire transformation. She leans against her broom and watches with her mouth slightly agape. Just as she's about to speak to the distracted youth dressed in the strange old-fashioned red outfit, however, a scream echoes out…and Inuyasha doesn't need his hanyou hearing to recognize it. 'Kagome!'
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"Let me go! Hanase!" Kagome screams again as she's roughly pushed against the wall, her eyes filling up with tears. Pain shoots through her upper torso, and at the sound of a faint snap she knows something's broken. "O-oh…" She sobs, squirming in her captor's grip despite the agony racing through her body. Rough hands find their way to her chest and grope her forcefully. "STOP IT! Please!"
"Heh…such a sweet thing you are!" Kakui's liquor-tinted breath almost causes her to choke. Gasping, Kagome tries to struggle out of the man's grasping hands. His grip tears from her chest, cloth in hand, leaving her bear from the waist up. She shivers violently as she's pressed against the ally wall once again.
"L-leave me alone!" She shrieks, salty tears streaming down her cheeks freely now. "G-go away!" The man laughs, his four companions watching the 'demonstration' with great amusement, adding their own chuckles of pleasure.
"Sorry, sugar-doll. But as you're not coming freely, and you are a bit scrawny…not to mention fragile…" With a quick well-practiced motion he yanks her left arm in one direction and jerks her body in the opposite. A loud sickening pop echoes out, and Kagome almost collapses completely with a shriek of pure pain and agony. "Heh…dislocated just like that…you really are a weak pathetic thing…" Pulling the young miko's limp form close, Kakui growls hungrily. "Say your last words, sweetie…I do enjoy pleading…"
Kagome's gaze clouds over, and she seems on the verge of passing out. The pain's becoming too much for her to bear. Her captor wags a finger in disagreement, a throaty sound much like a demented chortle following. "Now now…no fainting…" With this he jerks her limp arm harshly upwards. What the girl screams out, however, is not a plea or a cry of pain, but rather the first thing that comes to her mind...some strange word that Kakui cannot recognize…
"INUYASHA!"
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-squirms- Ewww…a cliffhanger! I am so sorry! -bows- Hope this chapter wasn't too horrible…but I promise! It will get better! -beams and bows again- Please review! And thank you for reading!