A/N: Dark, mature content
Song:There Are Worse Games You Could Play/Deep in the Meadow/The Hunger Games Suite-Hunger Games Mockingjay OST
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Memoirs of a Miko
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With a heavy sigh, Inuyasha entered the great hall completely lost in thought. It was her damn fault. Throwing him off with that sheepish bullshit about hoping he had 'a good day'. You bet your ass that was some underhanded manipulative shit.
'Or not,' the nasty little voice inside his head cooed, 'She did look really disappointed that you weren't holding her anymore. Maybe she liked it. Likes you. Could love you. Agree to be your mate in time.'
A slow lazy grin crossed his face and his amber eyes warmed as he considered the idea before the smile faltered and he furrowed his brow. See this was the type of bullshit he didn't need right now. Now was not the time to have any distractions. Not with his new promotion or when so much was on the line. If he started trying to mate a servant who'd been gifted to him like a common whore, any credibility he had would be gone. It wasn't worth the trouble anyway. He was reading too much into all of it. It'd been one fucking day but it felt….felt…god, what was wrong with him?!
"Rough night, my friend?" came a cheeky voice from directly in front of him followed by a muffled snort, "I was wondering how long it'd take you to realize I was here."
"Fuck off, Miroku," Inuyasha growled as waved his hand in clear dismissal, "Ain't got time for you right now."
"I realize that," the ebony haired demon mused as he gave the hanyou a knowing smirk, "So tell me. What lovely lady has the great Lord Chancellor Inuyasha around her finger? I recognize that look. You've imprinted."
"I ain't imprinted on shit jackass," Inuyasha hissed angrily as he shot to his feet, reached across the table and roughly yanked the demon by the collar until he was inches away from his nose, "You watch what you say."
"Merely stating the obvious," Miroku laughed – his manner in no way affected by the anger rolling off the hanyou in waves, "I've seen that look many a time. Your instincts never lie, my friend. You have found your one, true mate. The question is whether she found you as well."
"Fuck off," Inuyasha repeated his earlier sentiment as he tossed the demon onto the floor, "You don't know what the fuck you're talking about."
"Alas, I know of which I speak all too well. You can see them once or a thousand times and then one day, just like that, it knocks the wind right out of you and your heart is suddenly not your own," Miroku sighed from his place on the floor as he glanced at Sango who was laughing merrily with a few other women, "It's entirely unfair that women don't possess this instinct that burdens our souls, my friend. Life would be so much easier."
"Shut the fuck up and get lost," Inuyasha grumbled miserably as he breathed heavily through his nose. As much as he loathed to admit it, the monk's words struck a chord. From the very beginning, there had been this possessiveness, this overwhelming drive to protect her. Since the moment he met her, she'd dominated his thoughts and just moments ago he was grinning like an idiot because she wished him a good day. Closing his eyes, he tried to take a steadying breath when something began grating at his instincts like nails on a chalkboard and as he rose, one of his servants burst into the great hall with a look of sheer panic on her face that had his stomach falling out from under him.
No.
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Kagome was beyond feeling and for that she was grateful. The pain that once burned like fire had faded away into an icy numbness. Black filled the edges of her vision and the only thing she was capable of hearing was her own heartbeat as her assailant moved frantically above her. As she stared lazily as the wall, she resigned herself to this fate. Every time she'd closed her eyes – preferring the darkness behind her lids than to watch his face as it twisted in raptured agony as he pounded into her mercilessly – he'd demand she open them again although he'd stopped demanding she look at him. There was no hope left in her soul, no belief a savior might come to rescue her from this fate that she'd probably have to endure a countless number of times before he finally killed her. A single tear slid down her cheek before the man above her stilled and withdrew before hastily fastening his pants and throwing her naked, abused body over his shoulder.
"Motherfucker," the demon cursed under his breath before chuckling darkly, "One of those brats must've tipped him off. Not that it matters. I've claimed you. There's nothing he can do short of kill me and even then, that ain't gunna take the mark off your neck. You're my whore now."
"Wanna bet?!" came a cold, rage filled voice at the same time a blur of silver and red collided with Naraku's form sending Kagome flying through the air and her assailant thudding sickeningly into the wall with a mighty crack. Catching her in his arms, Inuyasha caught the scent of her violation full on, saw the hastily made, still bleeding mark on her shoulder. As Naraku staggered to his feet, Inuyasha's eyes flashed crimson as he tenderly laid Kagome to the side and drew his sword, "You're gunna fucking die for what you've done."
Rage exuded from his shaking form with the almighty power and heat of a wildfire. Naraku could practically see the flames roaring in his eyes, ready to burn him alive.
"I've claimed her!" Naraku screamed even as he moved into a defensive position – eyeing the seething half-demon wearily, "You have no right to take what is mine!"
"Should've thought of that before you barged into my house and took my woman," Inuyasha bellowed back – his lips curled back exposing his fangs, his breath coming out in shaky pants as he struggled to control his inner demon that so desperately wanted to break free. It wanted blood. It wanted vengeance. It clawed at his very soul that he needed to reclaim what was his. His and no others.
"Your woman?" Naraku laughed in a manic desperate sort of way as the two stood off – waiting for the other to make the first move, "Oh, this is too delicious. You formed a mating imprint with a servant you haven't even known a week. A ruined peach with a bite in it. Pathetic."
That. That was the straw that collapsed Inuyasha's patience. Jagged purple lines bloomed on his face as his eyes bled crimson. With unexpected speed and agility, he lunged at the challenger to what was rightfully his, his demon screaming in ecstasy as he plunged his claws deep in his rival's chest and pulled out his still beating heart. It happened so quickly that Naraku wasn't able to react – his eyes darting down at the gaping hole with a look of pure, unadulterated shock before raising his eyes just in time to see Inuyasha swinging his sword to remove his head from his neck. As Naraku's head rolled across the stone floor, Inuyasha grinned in a feral delight before a faint whimper pulled him out of his bloodlust. Slowly, amber returned to his eyes and the purple lines faded as he stared at her terrified looking face.
"I…I…I'm…" Inuyasha stammered as he watched her wearily, unsure whether to go to her or send her far, far away.
"Don't you dare apologize," Kagome laughed humorlessly with an obvious bite to it – her face unusually calm given the circumstances, her sapphire eyes void of emotion, "I'm glad you made him suffer."
'Are you okay?' seemed like the most inappropriate question in the world. 'Did he rape you?' sounded stupid, he could smell the evidence on her. 'Do you want me to leave?' was the question he didn't dare ask – hell itself couldn't have dragged him away from her right now. Not with his instincts screaming at him like they were. And apologizing was off the table.
Taking a shuddering breath, he slowly moved towards her – his clothing drenched in blood, his hands marred with deep crimson, the faded purple still fading from his cheeks and yet she didn't look afraid. Not in the slightest. Hearts don't snap like brittle caramel or burst like an overfilled balloon. A heart breaks in the heaving waves of a new disturbing reality that has arrived uninvited. This last cruelty inflicted on her had broken her in more ways than one. She didn't react at all as he gingerly picked her up, leaving the bubbling, putrid corpse behind him or when he shed his outer clothing and waded into his private hot spring in nothing more than his undergarments with her nude form or when he tenderly tried to remove the evidence away. She merely stared at him with vacant eyes, her expression never changing.
"Tell me if you want me to stop," Inuyasha murmured after a moment as he reached over to gather more lye, "I have many female servants who you might feel more comfortable with."
"I'm fine," Kagome responded in an emotionless whisper as she closed her eyes, "Just get it over with."
"I'm not going to hurt you," Inuyasha murmured in reply before gently dunking her head under the water and pulling her back up. Coughing lightly, Kagome gave him an eerie forced smile as she whispered back, "I know."
It was in that moment that Shiori burst into the bathing area – completely out of breath and accompanied by several others all armed to the teeth before the small girl's shoulders sagged in defeat at the sight before her. After a few tense minutes, Shiori's eyes narrowed in determination as she asked with a tone of ice, cold steel, "Where would you like the corpse displayed?"
"Put it in the great hall," Inuyasha huffed angrily, "So everyone can see what happens when you fuck with something that's mine."
"I agree," Shiori replied as she gestured to two of the larger boys in the back who nodded once and rushed out of the room, "I will call for a healer as well. One of Lady Sango's if possible."
"Call for Lady Sango as well," Inuyasha murmured quietly, "And Lord Miroku. It will be important to have allies. Naraku had many supporters who will likely want retribution for what I've done."
"What do you think Sesshomaru's reaction will be?" Shiori asked even as she gestured for a small girl to deliver the message, "I doubt very seriously your actions today will go unchallenged."
"I don't give a fuck what his reaction will be," Inuyasha snarled before blanching slightly when Kagome flinched and muttering a soft apology in her ear before continuing in a much calmer tone, "If anyone asks, tell them…tell them the truth."
"Which would be?" Shiori pressed impatiently – it would have to be her that approached the daiyoukai and she'd rather come armed with an official statement rather than just hearsay.
"Naraku attempted to claim the woman I...I imprinted upon," Inuyasha huffed as he looked down at the now unconscious girl with a mournful look on his face, "That he raped her, challenged me and I emerged victorious."
"As you wish," Shiori responded with a curt nod as she turned to leave but not before she cast a mournful glance at the devastated look on her Lord's face. Despite everything that happened, Shiori sincerely doubted he'd ever relay his feelings to the girl. Actually, especially because of everything that had happened.
Inuyasha looked down at the woman in his arms with a strange mixture of grief and longing in his eyes – gently stroking her cheek with the back of his hand. She'd hate him. That much was certain. And…and it wasn't like she'd understand if he tried to explain it to her. What would he say anyhow? I just met you and this sounds insane but I'm now irreversibly in love with you? Oh, and by the way, sorry I wasn't there to protect you. Already failed once, why not stick around for seconds, huh? Oh yes, that would go over great. Releasing a shuddering sigh, he gently leaned over to press his lips lightly against her temple before scooping her up, drying her off and gently forcing one of his robes over her head. It was a generic thing that he only possessed because it had been fashionable about fifty years ago and Sesshomaru had decided he needed one. It was a man dress but something billowy and soft enough to serve his purposes at the moment. With a heavy sigh, he put on a fresh pair of generic navy hakama leaving his chest bare and carried her to the bed before scrunching up his nose at the coppery tang of blood that hit his nose. This room wouldn't do but the guest room across the hall very well might. In the future, that would become her room anyhow – the door sealed by her spiritual sutras every night if he had any say in the matter. And so he gently scooped her up and moved to his mother's room.
