GUESS WHO'S BACK FROM CHINA! I HOPE YOU ALL AREN'T TOO MAD AT MEFOR MAKING YOU WAIT! CHINA WAS FREAKING AMAZING! I RECCOMEND IT TO ALL!
Chapter 14: Deception
When the doors finally opened, Kagome hesitantly stepped out of the elevator. The windows had been sealed and the few shreds of light that managed to seep in served as the only light source.
As she let her eyes adjust to the darkness, shadows crept just out of her view, making her heartbeat quicken.
Naraku was near… she could sense his vile aura and smell the spice of his aftershave. But he wasn't alone… two more powerful auras were in the far corner…and someone else.
"Souta…" she whispered into the darkness.
Suddenly, a bright light blinded Kagome and she instinctively brought her hands to her face, anticipating an attack.
When none came, she looked up cautiously. A figure lay crumpled in the bathing light, motionless. It brown hair was matted and messed, and its clothes were ripped and covered with dry blood. After what seemed like hours of staring at the body, wondering if it was dead or alive, it moved. Almost as if it was trying to roll over to face her, it moaned in pain… and Kagome instantly knew who it was.
"Souta!" she exclaimed as she rushed to her fallen brother's side.
Rolling him over so that his head was in her lap, Kagome kissed his forehead gently. Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks and onto his pale skin.
Souta winced as he opened his eyes slowly to meet Kagome's.
"K-Kagome?" he whispered.
She nodded furiously, stroking his hair and kissing him again.
"I'm here Souta…you're going to be okay now," she promised.
A soft smile crossed Souta's lips before he closed his eyes slowly. Kagome sighed in relief when she felt his shallow breath against her forehead…he had fallen asleep.
"How many sleepless nights have you had due to fear, brother?" she whispered against his skin, "You have suffered so much… I wish I could have gotten to you sooner…"
"How touching…"
A chill swept over Kagome and her head shot up to come eye to eye with Naraku. He kneeled in front of the light, causing the rays to cause haunting shadows across his features. Kagome instinctively tightened her grip on Souta.
"Naraku…" she whispered.
He stood slowly, flicking off the lamp. They were cast into darkness for a moment until the overhead lights were turned on and a dim glow filled the room. When Kagome looked around the room she noticed that Kagura was sitting on the edge of Naraku's desk, rhythmically opening and closing a fan. Beside her, Kanna stood motionless, her face unreadable. In her arms was a delicate mirror.
Kagome watched Naraku from the corner of her eye as he paced around her and Souta. The air was thick with tension that could have been cut with a knife.
"After the events at the park," Naraku began as he stopped directly behind Kagome, "A few problems have… made themselves known. Problems that need to be dealt with."
She wanted to turn around…she wanted to look into his eyes and read his emotions. His words alone confused Kagome. She knew he was talking about the jewel…but something in his voice made her think that maybe there was something else…
"I am…as you probably have already realized…a demon," he continued, "But…I am not a full demon. Not yet anyway."
Kagome gasped…he was…a half demon?
That explained why his aura seemed different from Kouga or Sesshomaru's. And yet…why was he still so powerful?
"The Shikon jewel has the power to grant me the power it takes to become a full demon," Naraku's sliky voice seemed to fill her head, "Thanks to you… it would appear that the jewel is… out of reach."
Kagome was about to sigh in relief when rough hands suddenly grabbed her shoulders. Kagome screamed in surprise as she was ripped away from Souta's body.
"No!" Kagome reached for her brother desperately.
The next thing she knew, she was forced against a wall, Naraku's body crushing painfully against hers.
"Get off of me!" she beat at his chest as hard as she could, but he didn't even flinch.
He laughed in her ear as he pressed against her harder. Naraku's hands, that were still gripping her shoulders, dug into her flesh and she winced.
"I can read the confusion on your face Kagome," he hissed against her cheek, "I saw it the first time you ever saw me. You were confused as to why my aura was so strong…and yet not like other demons."
In the corner of the room, Kanna had snapped out of her daze to watch the struggle and Kagura's blood red eyes glared from behind her fan.
"Even as a half demon…I still have certain demonic powers. The one that I fine most useful, is the ability to absorb the body and powers of demons."
Kagome suddenly stopped struggling from underneath him, her whole body going cold.
"You…absorb them?" she breathed.
She could feel his lips turn up into a wicked smile as he softly kissed the hollow of her neck. Kagome cringed at the sudden chill against her warm skin and she tried to shrug him away from her.
"Yes…and I find that I may be inclined to use those powers once again Kagome," he said softly.
Her hands started to shake as her heartbeat increased dramatically….He wasn't serious. Was he?
Something inside her began to stir then…it was her powers. They were warning her. Looking more closely at Naraku she realized that his whole body had begun to pulse and glow with an eerie purple light.
"No…" Kagome breathed.
Crawling at his chest, Kagome kicked and screamed as much as she could, desperate to get away.
"Give me the jewel willingly," his voice had a deeper tone to it now, almost as if he had become lost in his own power, "I don't want you to die this way. I would rather have my fun with you before I watch the lights fade away and die in your eyes…"
Tears spilled out of her eyes as Kagome shook her head furiously.
"Give me the jewel Kagome."
"Even if I knew how… I would never give it to you," she yelled into his ear.
He laughed, "Then you leave me no choice."
Kagome's whole body began to shake, as pain like she had never felt before rushed through her veins like molten flames. Her head began to ring with a high pitch scream. She didn't realize until she had to catch her breath that it was her that was screaming.
"Kagome!" a voice from somewhere around her yelled.
Kagome forced her eyes to open just enough to see her brother on his knees. Kagura held him back as he fought desperately to reach out for Kagome. He was in pain…his face gave it away.
"S-Souta," she whispered.
She gasped in agony as the tips of Naraku's fingers sank deeply into her shoulder.
Looking into her brother's eyes, Kagome bit her lip. This pain…she would do anything to rid herself of it.
"Kagome! No!" Souta cried and Kagura jabbed him hard in the stomach with her elbow.
Kagome's eyes shot open then.
"Souta!"
No…she couldn't give in…not yet. Souta was still in danger…she had to protect him!
Suddenly, the pulsing of Naraku's body stopped…and the pain began to fade.
"What?" Naraku hissed as he pulled away to look into her face, "No…"
Her whole body ached and burned. She wanted to sink to the floor and sleep…die even. Anything to end all this suffering…but she held on.
As Naraku backed away, Kagome's own body began to pulse with the power of the jewel.
She had to protect him…
The power grew stronger and stronger until a pale pink light surrounded Kagome.
She couldn't let Naraku hurt him anymore…
The brown of Kagome's eyes faded into a misty haze of pink and brown as the power consumed her.
"Bitch!" Naraku yelled as he lunged at her, his own aura strong.
He didn't even touch her. The power of the jewel instantly repelled him and Naraku was brought to his knees in pain.
Kagome approached him, kneeling in front of him so that they were almost nose to nose. Looking into Naraku's eyes, Kagome could see that it pained him to just look at her…but he held her gaze.
"You will not hurt him," Kagome whispered.
A sudden smile spread across Naraku's lips.
"…Kill me," he whispered, "That is the only way to guarantee your brother's safety…only when I am dead will I stop."
Kagome could feel the power just below the surface, begging to be released…
She could do it.
More then anything… she wanted to. She wanted to kill Naraku.
He had taken the lives of so many without mercy or regret. Her father…her mother…and Inuyasha. It would be so easy to destroy him with a single touch. She would not shed a tear, she would not regret. He deserved to die…
The seduction of the jewel's power numbed her mind and Kagome longed to succumb to it.
"No," she whispered.
Naraku's eyes widen in both surprise and rage.
"I will not kill you…because that is what you would want," Kagome smiled softly, "You would want me to use the jewel. It would become tainted…and I would lose control of it. But would I not be just like you if I killed you? I don't deny that you deserve a painful death Naraku. But to kill with no regret…that is below me…it is your way, not mine."
A dull pain filled her as Kagome forced back the power of the jewel. When her eyes focused and turned their normal brown again, she sighed.
Naraku's hand suddenly connected with the side of her cheek and she went crashing to the floor. Her head whipped up to meet his eyes, her expression was shocked.
"You think you can condemn me as being less then you," he hissed.
Signaling to Kagura, Souta was dragged to Naraku's feet where he cowered in fear.
"You wish to protect this creature?" Naraku hissed as he swiftly kicked Souta in the back.
Kagome began to make a move to protect Souta when Kagura's cold hands restrained her.
Kneeling in front of the weeping boy, Naraku took Souta's chin in his hand and forced him to look at Kagome.
"And if he was dead?" Naraku sneered, "What resistance to me would you have then Kagome? What would you have left to protect?"
Kagome didn't answer him…because she couldn't. If she lost Souta…she would die. He was all she had left, and if he was taken from her then there was no way that Kagome could go on living.
"Lost for words?" Naraku sniggered.
Reaching into his back pocket…Naraku pulled out a gun.
"No!" Kagome screamed.
Souta's eyes were questioning and he looked to what Naraku now held in his hand. When he realized what was happening, he gasped. Struggling to get up, Kagome saw that pain over took her brother…her faltered, and fell to the floor again.
Naraku laughed softly as he put the gun to Souta's head.
"Seem familiar?" he said. "It should. What is this now Kagome? Four? First your father, then your mother, although you didn't have the pleasure of watching me end her worthless life…"
"Shut up! You bastard!" Kagome screamed at him, "Don't you dare talk about her!"
"And then of course…there was Inuyasha…"
Kagome bit back the tears, determined not to let Naraku see her crack. Her mind and soul was in inner turmoil as flashes on Inuyasha's face crossed her mind.
"Don't…" she warned.
Her whole being screamed for him to stop. The way his lips curled…they way he opened his mouth to speak. No…she didn't want to hear it…anything but that…
"Made quite the mess I hear," Naraku said as if it was nothing, "Sesshomaru was sent to clean up the mess and dispose of the body. Blood everywhere…he threw the body in the river. It must be out to sea by now…bloated and decayed. I don't imagine that he will ever be found. With his thick head he must have already sunk to the bottom."
His words were driving her insane. Unwanted images filled her already tangled mind and it took every ounce of strength she had to keep it together. His own brother…Sesshomaru…he had gotten rid of the body? She hated to think about.
Kagome clenches her hands tightly into fists when a memory came back to her. It had been when she had been in Inuyasha's room, and he had given her food. They had sat together and talked. Kagome had questioned his motives for staying with Naraku and he had said he had had no choice. He had suddenly told her his fear that he would never be accepted as a half demon………………………………..
'…………"I except you…" Kagome whispered.
He immediately stopped in his tracks and looked at her, his eyes wide.
"What did you say?" he breathed.
She looked at him, "I said I except you. It doesn't matter that you are a half demon. I'm a priestess for god's sake! I'm probably the only one in the whole world, but that doesn't stop me from living! Besides, I'm sure that Miroku and Sango feel the same way."
Inuyasha just continued to stare at her as if she had grown an extra head or something.
"Would you stop looking at me like that!" Kagome exclaimed.
When he ignored her request Kagome stood up, ignoring the shoot of pain and walked as fast as she could to the door.
If he was going to be such a jerk then he could just burn in hell.
Her hand was on the knob when his voice stopped her once again.
"No one…has ever…said that to me before," he whispered.
Kagome turned back to him and gasped to find him inches in front of her. His eyes were shining with…tears?
"Inuyasha? Are you-"…………….'
It had been the first time he had kissed her…she could still remember.
Kagome let a single tear fall from her eyes as she looked up at Naraku and Souta. She wouldn't lose anyone else. She couldn't go through that pain again. Besides…Souta didn't deserve this. He should be in school right now, worrying about exams and girls…not this…she would never wish this on anyone.
"Please…" Kagome whispered, "Don't hurt him…What do you want? What do you want!"
She yelled the last part at Naraku and his mouth twisted into a satisfied smirk.
"Do you really wish to save this boy?" he asked her.
"Yes…what do you want from me?" she whispered, "I'll do anything…"