Four

…ominous…

"Sesshomaru-sama? I'll try using my healing powers…"

Kagome swallowed her words, chilled deep to the bone by his unwavering gold gaze. Light glowed from her hands, pouring forth and enveloping the bleeding demon lord.

Sparks flew, auras clashed.

The light burst apart and she gulped, as he stared at her with an unreadable look in his eyes.

Trickle, gush, his blood still poured, dashing her hopes and spirits. What was happening? Why weren't her healing working now with her unsealed powers, when even before they had succeeded?

Time and time again, light poured from her hands; time and time again, his wounds reopened, bleeding seemingly worse with each passing moment. Her powers diminished.

His blood dyed the cliff, but he didn't seem to care. His eyes were like burning stars, connecting with her whenever she dared lift her head, stirring to surface unfamiliar, hidden sensations, forcing her to squeeze eyelids tightly shut.

Even then, those feelings of sudden cold and heat remained. Slender legs collapsed, powerless from exhaustion. Nimble fingers trembled, the world a dazzling blur. Spiritual abilities exploded, vanished; draining life when it should have provided.

Why was this happening?

Eyes opened again, peeking at the motionless demon lord. If only she could read his gaze, understand his thoughts. Bitterness sunk her heart, knowing that he most likely held no approval.

"Miko," he demanded her attention.

She wanted to seal her ears, bury beneath the earth, anywhere away from his words. Shame and insecurity flooded her, fearful of his reactions.

"Miko," he intoned again with a noticeable weaker voice.

Miko, miko, how she wanted those spiritual powers to show themselves now! Where were they when she needed them? Killing apparitions, purifying demons; it didn't matter now, when she needed to heal.

I…love…Inuyasha?

For no apparent reason, the question appeared in her mind like a wisp of smoke.

I…love…Inuyasha?

A soft voice echoed in her head, spinning her vision around and around.

Seeing the blood painted ground, feeling the crackle of energy, hearing that smooth baritone, she suddenly woke from a once dim reverie.

No. She did not love Inuyasha.

Somewhere, perhaps far, perhaps concealed, but closer than she ever expected, two beings smiled.

Darkly.


Author Note: I. Am. So. BUSYYYYYY . GAH. With quarter finals finishing and Royal Conservatory of Music testing this week, updates will be barely managed. They won't stop though, so expect typos .. Enjoy anyways.

Words: 365

Four: unlucky number in Asian cultures, sounds like the word "death"