Chapter 25: Final Decision

He had collapsed upon entering the hallway he sensed her in. It had been a series of intense shocks that he suffered from causing his collapse. He had managed to stay upright during the first few before he fell in a heap on the floor for the last few. It took more time to recover than he would like to admit.

Once he managed to stand he knew something was different but he paid it no heed. Within moments of rising he was entering the room he knew her to be in. the sight that greeted him was most unwelcome.

She stood with her eyes closed in exquisite pleasure as she sucked enthusiastically on her blood soaked fingers. More blood drizzled down from her mouth. She stood in the center of chaos. The room was soaked in blood. One body lay sliced in half at her feet while another lay in the lap of another female who was sitting deadpan in the doorway. It took him some time to assess the situation. Though by then, she had left without even glancing his way.

Had the destruction in the room not been so severe he would have followed immediately. Instead he found himself kneeling next to a frozen neko youkai. He tried everything to gain her attention. The most he received was a heavily choked sob when he said the name of either her mate or her daughter. It seemed that nothing could bring the female back. His parents found them this way. He was the only one not soaked in blood.

Taishou could not believe the destruction he found his eldest son in the midst of. He would never have thought the girl his son had brought to him for mating would ever do such a thing. It all seemed so unreal. "What happened?"

He heard his mate as she stepped in beside him. At those two innocent words they all witnessed Bastet break down into wracking hysterical crying. It was loud and seemed to echo through the entire place. Izayoi knelt by her side at once pulling the demoness close. She had lost a husband before herself though she was sure mates were different. She looked to her stepson with pleading eyes hoping he knew what had happened. She did not wish to ask the other female. Reliving whatever happened here would not be pleasant. To her extreme dismay though, Sesshomaru shook his head.

"All I know is that when I got to the room she was just finishing eating a heart," Shesshomaru said. Bastet lifted her head at those words.

"She wasn't just eating a heart you baka inu," she cursed angrily. "She was devouring the heart of her own father. She ripped it from his chest and performed the ritual using his heart."

"What happened to the other one?" Taishou asked. Bastet turned a gaze filled with cold fury on the western lord.

"Destroyed. That idiot Kensher destroyed it. Then Cerberus was going to kill her until I came. He turned to find me in the doorway," she continued as racking sobs continued to torture her. "Then she thrust her hand right through his chest and ripped out his heart from behind before using it in that fucked up ritual for power."

No one said a word as she finished. Izayoi merely sat holding her, offering as much comfort as she could. Taishou looked to his son. The ice cold façade controlling his sons features told him nothing. His sons' question however, surprised him. "You said that if she was mated when she performed the ritual her mate would share the power, correct?"

"Y-yes," Bastet answered with a sob. Sesshomaru then turned to his father.

"Can the mating ritual truly be broken simply because she defeated me in battle?" Taishou looked at his son confused a moment. He had though his son knew the answer to this.

"If she truly wanted it, then yes."

"What are you getting at Sesshomaru?" Izayoi asked as she felt Bastet turn back toward the males. Sesshomaru merely held up a hand to silence her.

"What would the effects have been on her mate, Bastet?"

"A series of powerful shockwaves that would cause immense pain as they continued. Why?" Bastet whispered. She looked up at her daughters would-be mate in confusion.

"The demoness who just gained so much power is not Kagome," he answered calmly.

"H-how do you know?"

"Because I also received power from the ritual. If Kagome had actually been the one doing all of this then I believe that would not have happened. I am under the impression that Kagome is still being possessed by the curse." He then turned leaving his father with the two women.

"Where are you going then, Sesshomaru?" Taishou called after him. Sesshomaru paused at the end of the hall. He turned his head toward them slightly before answering between clenched teeth.

"To find my mate." At those words he disappeared in a flash.

"Hmph," they heard from Bastet as Taishou's son disappeared. "Whether she was in control or not, it does not change what she has done. That female will not live much longer."

"Bastet!" Izayoi was shocked at her words. She herself could never even fathom sentencing her own child to death.

"Her crimes are too heinous for her to live in our society. If someone can strip her of her powers then she may live in exile. I do not believe there was anyone other than my mate who could do so though, therefore, she will die," Bastet stated with a fierce calm as she looked at Taishou. "You will see to it that your son is informed and performs the necessary deed. If not, I will do it myself."

A/N: Sorry it's been so long and the chapter is so short. I'm posting another one soon. So no noodles or flames...please.