A/N: I'm so sorry this took so long. I wanna thank everyone for being so patient with me and reviewing. I love you all! Here's chappie 10! Enjoy!
:: Shattered ::
- Chapter 10 -
The rosy glint of the shard of the shikon jewel shone dimly in the suffocating darkness. Naraku stroked it caressingly, his filth defiling it gradually, causing the tiny piece to now sparkle a bloody red.
"So I hear you've bee plotting against me," he stated coolly.
"Nothing you haven't heard before," Kagura retorted, sticking her nose in the air as she crossed her arms. She really couldn't stand his stench.
Naraku laughed – an empty, soulless laugh. "You're right – it's nothing new… it's just you're being so much more forward about it rather than plotting behind my back like a coward," he all but spat the last word.
The demoness flinched, but remained composed. "Things are different now," she stated quietly. "You don't own me anymore…"
"You're right about that too… but fear not, my Kagura. Soon I won't have to own you specifically, for everything in this world alone will belong to me."
"You're sick," she grimaced.
"And you, are powerless."
XXxXxXxXxXxXxXx
Kagome stirred, feeling warmth and comfort all around her. The sun's rays beat down on her face, much to her annoyance, urging her to get up, even though she really didn't feel like doing so. She buried her face into what felt like a warm rock, snuggling close to the heat that radiated next to her body. It wasn't until the object started moving that consciousness began to float back to the young woman, the events of the previous night flooding her mind. She shook her head, dismissing it as a dream, and snuggling further into the array of blankets and unfamiliar object nestled amidst them. Sighing, Kagome wrapped her arms around whatever lay next to her, forgetting all about the morning light, which urged her to get moving.
Her new body pillow groaned and shifted for the second time, slinking an arm around the girl's waist. She opened her eyes, seriously thinking about what could possibly be in her bed this time. At first everything was a blur, but as her eyes adjusted, Kagome began to panic as she failed to recognize the room she was in as being her own.
Her eyes searched wildly, looking for anything that would possibly indicate familiarity. Scanning frantically, they landed on something white, and unmistakably recognizable.
'Inuyasha,' Kagome thought with a sigh. Normally she'd mentally force herself to panic, jumping and screaming the forbidden words that would send him flying through the mattress and into the front lobby… but this time, Kagome decided to simply remain calm, and appreciate the sight before her.
Their faces were mere inches apart, granted that the two of them had been snuggling increasingly closer throughout the night. Inuyasha's arm was wrapped protectively around her waist, pressing her body tightly against his own. His face was peaceful; eyes shut and every feature relaxed – his mouth slightly open as he breathed evenly, a small amount of drool soaking into the pillow that his head rested on.
She hardly noticed herself smiling, her face moving instinctively closer to his. He looked absolutely adorable, with no sign of any scowls or grimaces. Feeling rather out of her own body, Kagome continued to lean forward, her lips slightly parted as they inched closer to the obliviously sleeping hanyou's face. With her eyes half closed, Kagome paused, something in the back of her mind vaguely screaming for her to stop and regain control of her own body. Just as she hesitated, Inuyasha stirred, his amber eyes sparkling gold as they opened ever so slowly. He seemed unsure of what was happening- as though Kagome's face only an inch from his own may have been a dream or some hallucination he had been experiencing. Kagome, on the other hand, was internally panicking.
Before Inuyasha could register what was happening, the young raven haired woman had pressed her lips against his, squeezing her eyes shut as she attempted to block out the potential look on his face.
Inuyasha felt as though his heart had stopped for that moment – a moment that was beginning to pass like an eternity in slow motion. His eyes remained open, staring at what he could make of Kagome's flushed face. Not knowing whether to break the kiss or not, the hanyou remained still, weighing out the pros and cons of any course of action he could take.
Before managing to make a decision, Kagome pulled away, her eyes still squeezed shut as her face burned crimson.
Speechless, Inuyasha opened his mouth, only managing to let out an unintelligible, "Uhh…"
"I'm sorry!!" Kagome exclaimed, turning away and refusing to look at him.
Unsure of what to do, the hanyou stared blankly at the girl, his eyes round in something akin to confusion. "What for?" he asked, sounding clueless.
"Are you stupid or something?!" Kagome ground out without making any breaks between words as she turned to face him again, her face still flushed.
Inuyasha blinked. "I don't know, maybe? What's got your panties in a twist anyway?"
Kagome ground her teeth. She was certain her face had turned purple by now from all the humiliation she felt.
"NOTHING!!" she shrieked, causing Inuyasha to flinch. Kicking the covers off her legs, Kagome stormed away into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her, some flakes chipping off the old crusty ceiling in consequence.
"What the hell was that all about," Inuyasha muttered under his breath as he rolled over, yanking the covers over his head to block out the obnoxious daylight. He could hear the water running in the bathroom, and wondered what Kagome was doing – a thought which was quickly diverted by the sound of his stomach growling for food.
Giving up on sleep, the hanyou flipped off the covers and made his way to the kitchen. Opening the fridge, Inuyasha muttered some more obscenities under his breath as he stared at the compartment's emptiness.
Feeling his stomach growl once more, the hanyou frowned, wondering why he hadn't notice his fridge empty earlier. He heard Kagome approach from behind, but made no move to turn and face her; afraid she was still angry at him for reasons unknown.
"So, what's for breakfast?" she asked in an oddly cheerful voice.
Feeling no hostility emanating from the young woman, Inuyasha turned to look at her and was surprised to find her in a rather pleasant-looking mood. Wrinkling his nose, he eyed her up and down, wondering what caused the sudden change in attitude. He inhaled slowly, sniffing the air for signs of that god forsaken monthly cycle of hers, but failed to find anything of the sort.
"Guess it's not that time of the month," he murmured to himself, his eyes still locked on the raven haired girl before him.
"What?" Kagome asked, a confused expression on her face.
Inuyasha shifted uncomfortable. "Ahh, nothing. My fridge is just as starved as I am… sorry," he apologized, feeling a little embarrassed for being such a bad host.
"It's alright," Kagome commented pleasantly. "We can just go out for breakfast. I've been dying to go to one of those all-day breakfast places that stuff you till you're sick," she added with a smile, acting as though nothing had previously happened.
"Well, sure I guess. Just got my pay check this week – so I guess I can spend some, and then do some damn grocery shopping," the hanyou thought out loud, sighing at the deliberation of having to mull through the supermarket for the sake of his fridge.
"Well let's get going then! I'm starved!" Kagome exclaimed with a fake enthusiasm. She turned quickly, awkwardly making her way to the front door and slipping on her sneakers. Inuyasha slowly followed, wary of the girl's strange behaviour since this morning.
The elevator ride was excruciatingly silent. Inuyasha glanced over at Kagome, who purposefully turned her head the opposite way so she wouldn't have to look at him.
'What the hell did I do this time?' he thought, irritated. Whenever Kagome would get angry, she'd snap, and then ignore him like this – only this time her avoidance seemed to be more out of some kind of awkwardness rather than anger.
By the time they reached the café, Inuyasha was just about ready to explode.
"So, what do you feel like?" he asked casually, trying to pull words out of the girl's mouth.
"I-I really don't know. Maybe eggs…" Kagome trailed off after her initial stutter.
"What's up with you? You're acting funny."
Drawing her eyebrows together, Kagome focused on the menu. "I don't know what you're talking about," she all but snapped, her eyes never leaving the text.
The hanyou glared daggers at her. "Don't act dumb, Kagome… you've been avoiding me all morning. First you snap at me for hell knows what, then you try to act all cheery and when it doesn't work you run from me like a cave bat from sunlight."
Kagome's expression softened, yet she still refused to look up. Pausing, her eyes shifted to the side.
"Sorry," she apologized.
Inuyasha squirmed, not used to her sudden petty demeanour.
"You don't have to apologize," he scolded roughly. "I just don't get you women…"
"Are you guys ready to order?" a waitress interrupted, taking out her pen and pad of paper.
"Uhh, sure… I'll have the meat lover's steak, potato bites, and three eggs combo, sunny-side up, extra sausages and extra toast with peanut butter, and a glass of milk," Inuyasha ordered, reading off the menu as the waitress scribbled down the gigantic order.
"And you miss?" she asked, turning to Kagome.
Kagome sweat dropped, processing Inuyasha's speech before deciding on her own meal.
"I'll have the buttermilk pancakes with sausages, and a glass of orange juice please," she ordered politely, handing her menu back to the waitress, who nodded and headed off to the kitchen.
Are you really going to eat all that?" Kagome asked, astonished at Inuyasha's seemingly infinite appetite.
"Yep," he answered casually, examining his blunt nails.
Fifteen minutes later the waitress returned with their food. Inuyasha dug in immediately, wolfing down his steak and eggs, saving the sausages for last. Slurping down the glass of milk, he looked over at Kagome, who was slowly picking away at her pancakes.
"I like pancakes," he said suddenly. "But the syrup just makes them too sweet. I prefer butter on mine."
Kagome looked at him, chewing her food slowly before swallowing. "I always like having sweeter things for breakfast… like cereal, or pancakes with syrup or honey."
"I'm more of a… meat kind of guy…" Inuyasha trailed off.
Kagome rolled eyes. "Gee, I wonder why…" she trailed off, eyeing the bandana he wore to cover his distinctive dog-ears.
"Hey, isn't that Souta?" Inuyasha asked, staring absently out the window.
Kagome turned to follow his gaze. "Hmm, where?" she asked curiously, looking for her younger brother.
"What the - ?! He just disappeared," he exclaimed, jumping slightly out of his seat, eyes wide with anticipation as they scanned wildly for the teenage boy.
"Are you sure you're not just seeing things?" Kagome asked sceptically, staring at the astounded hanyou in front of her.
"No, I swear! I saw him!"
"Inuyasha…" Kagome trailed off, forgetting the rest of her sentence as her eyes widened in shock when Souta suddenly appeared in front of her, and behind Inuyasha.
Noticing her expression Inuyasha stiffened, sensing something not quite right. "What is it Kagome?" he asked, concerned, but was unable to complete the thought as he felt an arm lock roughly around his neck, pulling him back into a choke. Inuyasha's eyes widened, his demonic survival instinct taking over his body as the air was sucked out of him with an unbearable painful force.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome shrieked, panic filling her as she stared in horror while her younger brother forced Inuyasha's body back, knocking the chair out from underneath him and tightening his hold around the hanyou's neck.
Hearing Inuyasha choke as he struggled against Souta's deadly hold, Kagome jumped forward, grabbing her brother's arm and pulling with all the strength her tiny body could muster.
"Souta, stop it! What are you doing?!" she shouted, fear taking over as she began to tremble.
Why was Souta doing this? How was he even physical capable of putting Inuyasha, a half demon, in such a position.
"Let… go of me… you bastard!" Inuyasha managed in a strangled voice, twisted in the younger boy's grasp. He didn't want to, but being left with no choice, the hanyou grabbed his captor's arm, pulling it down and plunging his head forward - sinking his teeth into the soft flesh of Souta's arm.
The younger boy cried out in pain, loosening his hold on Inuyasha. With one swift movement, Inuyasha had ducked down and pulled out of Souta's iron grip with ease. Spinning around he grabbed the boy's shirt, throwing him down against the table and pinning him with his knee.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried out in concern for her brother.
"Sorry Kagome," the hanyou ground out, gritting his teeth as he struggled to restrain Souta against the table. "But this kid… can't be your little brother…"
Flipping Souta over, Inuyasha yanked up the back of his shirt, exposing an unmistakable spider-shaped scar – the same one as Naraku's. Kagome gasped, drinking in the site of her little brother with Naraku's mark on his back.
"No, it can't be – Souta…" she trailed off, bringing a hand up to cover her trembling lips as tears spilled from her shocked chocolaty orbs. "What are we going to do Inuyasha?" she asked desperately, confusion and disbelief written all across her face. She remembered how they had found him just the night before, lying unconscious on the street with the same wretched mark - yet she had forgotten all about it. Spending the night with Inuyasha had completely erased her memory of the event, not to mention Souta simply waking up and acting completely normal. The fact that she had managed to repress that night horrified Kagome to her very core. A thousand thoughts raised through her mind - questions that were left without any answers. Why hadn't she taken action earlier? Why did she force herself to forget? Why was this even happening?
"There's only one person I can think of… who we can ask," Inuyasha replied, still focused on holding Souta down.
"Who?" Kagome asked, her panic dissipating with hope.
Inuyasha turned to look at her, his amber eyes hard and uncompromising.
"Kagura."
A/N: I know, this took like two months…
but alas, I updated! Please Review :)