Project Puppy Love

Chapter 11: Shots in the Dark

Kagome stood in front of InuYasha, clutching his shirt and trying to encourage him to go through with the plan they had only moments before discussed.

"Come on, InuYasha. You can do this." He was trying to stand firm, but Kagome could feel the weakening of his resolve.

After the pair had spent a few more minutes cuddling and had then gotten dressed, Kagome wanted to put her plan into action. The day's happenings had set her on edge and she couldn't stand to stay here even one day longer.

Upon hearing all she had to say, InuYasha was unsure if this was a good idea, and even more upset at what she was asking of him.

Kagome merely assumed that because it was nighttime, now was the perfect time to make an escape. While she wasn't sure, she believed that during the night most of those that worked here went home for the day. That meant that there were few on duty, suggesting she and InuYasha had a good chance of overpowering anyone that stood in their way. She based this assumption off of the one time they had had that heated argument and had to be separated. Only two men had shown up to split them, instead of the five to ten that had appeared during previous encounters.

While it was logical, there was a chance she might be wrong. InuYasha wasn't worried about himself in the slightest. It was Kagome he was concerned about the most. If she were to be hurt, the pup could be put in danger too. The risk was almost too great for him to bear. He was supposed to be the protector, the provider. If he couldn't do that, what good was he?

But that wasn't even the worst of it. She wanted him, InuYasha, to pick a fight with her. He had to make it like she had upset him beyond all reason so that those watching believed she was in real danger.

If all went well, when the person came to pull them apart, InuYasha was supposed to knock him out, while Kagome got a hold of their ID card—if they had one. If they didn't, that was another story InuYasha didn't even want to begin to think about.

Then from there is where things get even sketchier. While the guy was down—and provided no one else was in the building or had been alerted to what had happened—they were to make their way from the room to an exit. Where that was, Kagome had no clue. When he confronted her on this major flaw in her plan, she simply stated they'd just explore the areas of the facility they hadn't yet been to. In her mind, this was logical seeing as how since neither had seen an exit, one must be in an area of the facility they hadn't yet been to.

InuYasha tried to press the issue even further, but Kagome had gotten angry and blamed him for stalling. She said they would just worry about that when the time came, and that if it came right down to it, she trusted him and that everything would work out in the end.

Her faith in him made InuYasha's heart swell but was not enough for him to forget his worries. If Kagome he got hurt, he just didn't know what he'd do.

"Trust me, as I trust you." She rested her head against his chest and ran her hands up his arms soothingly. "This may be our only shot. We can do this."

It wasn't a perfect plan, but it was all she had.

"Alright." InuYasha agreed, albeit reluctantly. If Kagome believed so strongly this would work, then he could do nothing but put his faith in her.

Now that she had his consent, Kagome wasted no more time and shoved him, instigating the fight to end all fights. There was no way he could back out now.

Faking a growl, InuYasha lunged at her, missing intentionally but making sure it appeared as real as possible. Kagome dodged, and his fist collided with the wall behind her.

InuYasha quickly came at her again, this time allowing his claws to cut the sleeve of her shirt. He cringed internally; hating what she was asking of him but knowing this was the only way. If it didn't look like a real brawl, then this plan would fail and they may never have another change to get out of here again.

InuYasha started to come at her for the third time but stopped when he heard the familiar metallic click of the lock opening. A man entered, dart gun blazing, but InuYasha was one step ahead of him. He was behind the man in seconds, hitting him hard on the head with his fist and sending him falling to the floor. He was out cold.

Kagome was on the visitor instantly, finding exactly what she was looking for and not even waiting for InuYasha before she was out the door and running down the hallway.

"Wench!" he called after her, trying not to be too loud. InuYasha caught up to her quickly, at the same time keeping his eyes pealed for any others that may be lurking in the shadows.

It seemed, thus far, she was right. The facility looked deserted.

The pair rounded a corner and came to the first roadblock. Kagome paused and took a deep breath before holding the stolen card up to the card scanner.

She could barely breathe during the seconds it took for the machine to read the card and decide they had clearance to get through this door.

When it opened, Kagome marched through, InuYasha close behind her.

Stairs. Kagome almost wanted to laugh with relief. This door led to stairs, which meant it had to lead to an exit or at least take them to the ground level. They were so close to freedom, Kagome could almost taste it.

She took InuYasha's hand as they bounded down the stairs several at a time, all the while Kagome internally counting the levels until she was certain they reached the ground floor.

They came to a door that did not have a mechanical lock to it, and opened easily.

Luck seemed to be on their side and Kagome hoped earnestly that they made it out of here without any major issues.

She should have known better.

This new room consisted of several cages, few were empty but most were full of creatures that caused Kagome's heart to lurch uncomfortably. Some, other than lying listlessly in their confinements looked relatively normal. But others were not so fortunate. These unlucky ones were almost indistinguishable in what they were supposed to be with their extra limbs and facial deformities.

Kagome realized these creatures were several failed attempts to recreate the success they had with InuYasha.

"Come on." She grabbed InuYasha's hand and stepped farther into the room. Kagome stayed clear of the caged animals, not wanting to disturb them in case they made a sound that would alert anyone lurking in the building to the pair's presence.

Kagome had barely taken two steps when InuYasha's arm snaked around her waist and pulled her against his chest. She was about to protest when she heard the distinctive sound of someone clearing his or her throat.

The young woman whipped her head around trying to locate the owner of the sound.

Two figures stood enveloped in the shadows near the far side of the room.

Kagome inhaled sharply and gripped the sleeve of InuYasha's shirt tightly.

It was then, that Naraku and Kikyou stepped into the moonlight coming in from a single barred window.

"I had a feeling you two might try something, though I never expected you'd get this far." Kikyou spoke far too calmly for Kagome's liking.

At this point, InuYasha was snarling as he took on a familiar, yet protective, stance in front of Kagome.

For the first time since her captivity Kagome could hear the sounds of the city. She knew they were close—that she and InuYasha were on the verge freedom. There was no way she was going down without a fight. Her freedom was almost tangible, and she'd be damned if she'd allow Naraku and Kikyou to take her it away a second time.

Naraku chuckled as he took in the look of determination on her face. He was laughing at her, and Kagome didn't like it one bit.

"It's a good thing my wife and I decided to stay late." Naraku stated casually. "And here we thought we were being nice, even allowing you two to see each other again. Now that we have what we want, there really was no reason for us to allow you near one another. We gave you a gift and this is how you repay us?"

InuYasha's growls deepened and his jaw set. Never before had he hated a man as much as he hated Naraku.

"Tsk Tsk, InuYasha. I am ashamed of you," Naraku continued, taking a step towards InuYasha and Kagome. "After all we have done for you. Raised you, clothed you. We even gave you a mate. And you're willing to throw away such kindness?"

"Kindness?" Kagome spat, her head poking out from behind InuYasha. "Keeping us here against our will? Forcing us to bend to your demands? You call that kindness? You people are sick!" She glared daggers at the older couple. The young woman just couldn't understand how anyone could do something like this and not show any remorse for it.

"I warned you, Kagome, what would happen if you continued to rebel against us." Kikyou's cold voice reached Kagome's ears.

InuYasha's deep, threatening growl reverberated harshly within the room. He was not at all pleased at Kikyou's threats to Kagome.

"What's the matter, Puppy?" Kikyou taunted. "Am I upsetting you?"

His anger getting the best of him, InuYasha took a step forward. The movement seemed to spur Kikyou into action. The hand that had previously been lying at her side swung up, revealing the gun she had been hiding.

Kagome gasped, realizing this wasn't like the dart guns usually carried around here. No, this one was far different. This one could kill.

"InuYasha..." Kagome whispered warningly, hoping he'd be careful. She didn't know if he knew how severe the situation had become, and hoped she wouldn't regret forcing him into this now frighteningly crazy plan of hers.

One of his ears flicked in her direction but he made no other acknowledgment that he'd heard her. His attention was directly focused on Naraku and Kikyou.

Kikyou's eyes held something within their depths Kagome had never seen before. The older woman almost looked crazed and Kagome realized Kikyou meant business. Things weren't going to end well.

Based on all Kikyou had informed her earlier in the day, Kagome knew Kikyou was not willing to let this go easily. For the older woman, so much was at stake, and after so many previous losses Kagome realized without any shadow of a doubt, Kikyou was willing to kill if she had to.

"Now you two, if you know what's good for you, you'll do as we say and head back upstairs. This was a fun little jaunt you pulled, but it would really be in your best interests to do as we say." Naraku smirked, and with a flick of his head nodded towards his wife who took one step forward as if to prove his point.

As Kagome's eyes absorbed the situation she realized Naraku was not armed and that only Kikyou held a gun.

InuYasha finally looked at Kagome, his golden eyes meeting her blue ones with great intensity. In the moment they shared one thing was understood. If Naraku or Kikyou wanted them to cooperate, they weren't going to give in to them easily. Kagome nodded imperceptibly before InuYasha turned his attention back towards the two people who had been in control of his life for so long.

"I don't think so." He said before charging forward with great speed.

Kagome acted the next second and ran to the right hoping to get out of Kikyou's direct line of fire.

The gun when off causing Kagome shrieked out of pure panic. She had no idea if it had been aimed at her or InuYasha and the unknown scared her.

The sound of Kagome's voice distracted InuYasha enough that when Kikyou fired the gun a second time, it grazed his left shoulder. He grunted in pain but didn't let it slow him down.

He was acutely aware of Kagome somewhere behind him knocking over cages of animals as she continued to keep moving.

It was absolute mayhem. Creatures were skittering everywhere, attacking one another while running from the sound of Kikyou's gunshots.

Kikyou kept firing off the gun without pause, infuriated that not once did she come close to hitting her once prized genetic mutation.

And then it ran out of bullets. InuYasha used Kikyou's moment of pause to his advantage, and physically shoved a table filled with cages of creatures in her direction. The table slammed into her, toppling cages and setting free each and every creature from their confinements.

The crash caused Kikyou to collide with the wall behind her and fall into unconsciousness.

Certain she was down for the count, InuYasha spun, searching for his next target: Naraku. The red-eyed man may have disappeared during the mayhem but InuYasha was determined to find him.

A chuckle drew InuYasha's attention to a space somewhere off to his left.

There Naraku stood, an adrenalin induced rage evident in his eyes. His face held an evil sneer as he clutched a struggling Kagome to his chest with one arm slung across her neck.

When her thrashing did not persist Naraku brought a gun up to her temple. Kagome immediately stilled. Maybe she was wrong to assume he hadn't been armed as well.

InuYasha swore he saw red in that moment.

"Let her go, Naraku." His growling resurfaced through his clenched teeth.

"I don't think so, Beast." Kagome whimpered when Naraku pressed the cool metal of the gun tighter against her skin. The sound made InuYasha's heart clench uncomfortably, but he never took his eyes of Naraku.

"You do as I say, InuYasha, and I won't hurt her. Go against me and I won't hesitate to kill her."

When InuYasha nodded his consent the dark-haired man smirked. "She's a pretty little thing, isn't she? We picked her out just for you." InuYasha's eyes narrowed as Naraku buried his nose into Kagome's hair and inhaled her scent. "She smells so sweet. I'm sure that's one of the things that drew you to her. Am I right, InuYasha?"

InuYasha said nothing in response, clenching his fists and unable to stop this claws from digging deep into the tender flesh of his hand. Droplets of blood pooled on the tiled floor.

InuYasha didn't know how much longer he'd be able to hold back his rage.

Naraku continued, oblivious to the dangerous emotions swirling within InuYasha. "You must enjoy having her lithe body writhing beneath yours each night. She's quite the minx from what I've seen."

Kagome seemed to have calmed down during this time as her fear turned into rage. Naraku's closeness coupled with his disgusting words were making her sick to her stomach.

The young woman's shirt had slipped a little during her struggles, exposing the skin of her shoulder to Naraku's touch. She loathed the feeling of his thumb caressing the exposed skin.

Kagome had thought that things couldn't get any worse when Naraku's arrogance must have made him bolder. The hand that had been previously clutching her shoulder began to slowly descend lower and Kagome inhaled sharply.

"I wonder what she feels like..." He murmured against her dark hair. His heavy breathing sent tingles of displeasure coursing down Kagome's spine.

Kagome refused to let herself be touched in such an intimate way by a man she despised more than anyone else in the planet. She took matters into her own hands and made a decision she would later regret.

Completely forgetting about the gun still pressed to her temple, she reacted swiftly with a backwards kick aimed perfectly to Naraku's groin and in the next second bolting from his arms.

The gun went off, and Kagome collapsed to the floor.

Dun dun dun! How cruel of me to end it there… Like last chapter, I had to cut this one in half and felt this was the perfect place to stop. There was just so much going on, it had to be done! This also means that I might be able to update quicker. Yayy.

I fear I might get a lot of flack for this, seeing as how Kikyou was shooting at InuYasha. "Why would she shoot him if he was so important to her?" I base this off two reasons. The first: at this point, she's crazy. She's angry that Kagome and InuYasha have the gall to go against her and well, her dream is on the verge of collapse. My second point being that InuYasha's value decreased when Kagome got pregnant. If he dies, they still have her to continue the line. Also, she never intended to hurt Kagome (that badly) and Kikyou did believe that if she did shoot InuYasha, he'd likely live from the wound anyway.

I just want to say that love hearing from you guys and getting such positive feedback! It's your reviews that keep me motivated and get the next chapters out as quickly as I do! And to think, I almost didn't post this story at all... But I'm glad I did.

Sorry for the massive A/N. I just had a lot to say.

Please review!