My Throbbing Heart


Chapter 28: Farewell

(NPOV)

A month had gone by since the incident at Kagome's house. I called my grandmother that night and asked her if she had anything that would protect Kagome from the Jing family. She said she would have something for her today, so after work, we would go and retrieve it. I couldn't afford to lose her, especially to them. Hojo, I could handle, but with one survivor left from the Jing family, that, I could not. But on the bright side, there was ONLY one, and he was mine. I would make sure he would suffer for what he did to my brother and I. Just thinking about it, I could feel Xiohu stirring within me. Since that night, he has become a lot stronger. I have to use all of my strength to consume him from tearing me up, but physically, my appearance was changing and I couldn't do anything about it. My hair was fading and in certain parts, my hair was turning grayish-white. I was only twenty-one and my hair was turning gray. My teeth were a bit more sharp, one of my eyes turned fully lilac and I was starting to look like a ghost. My skin was already pale, but I just looked like I was sick. I was glad the horns weren't coming through, or anything else of what Xiohu's original form was. I was not liking how I was looking, and neither were the customers.

"Naraku, I don't think you should come into work anymore because of what Xiohu is doing to you," Onigumo said to me as we started to close up.

"I know, I was thinking the same thing," I said as I stacked up the last glass. "Hopefully grandma has something I can use to keep Xiohu under control, again. It seems each time she gives me something to keep him down, he somehow manages to over come it."

"I am pretty sure it has something to do with whoever came around a month ago."

"I know, but it's hard to keep my emotions down so he won't come out."

"I know Naraku. I am sure grandma has something for you. But who you should be worrying more about, is Kagome. If she gets captured –

"I would lose it. I wouldn't be able to contain him anymore, but you know, I think Xiohu is starting to like Kagome too."

"Are you sure it's a like and not a kill like."

"I am pretty sure."

Ha! As if I would ever love a human.

"Then explain to me about the dream I had last night; the one where you were involved too."

T-That was nothing. You're feelings for her were getting in the way of what my true meaning was.

"Sure it was."

"What dream did you have Naraku?" Kanna asked as she came up from behind me.

"Xiohu –

You tell anyone about that dream and I will take you over right here and now.

I shut my mouth and shook my head. "I can't say, but I will just say that it was interesting and changed my mind around about Xiohu."

"You think with Gonju not being able to combine with Xiohu, Xiohu has, maybe, become soft?" Kanna asked.

I am nowhere near soft. Ha! Just you wait Naraku. There is only a short time left before you are mine. And once I am in control, I will make this world suffer and I will be its ruler. Every last person that you care about will either be my slave, or dead. And I will make sure your precious Kagome will die by my, no, our hands.

I will make sure that will never happen.

Haha, you make me laugh. You still think this, mortal, will fall in love with you? Look at yourself. No one would want to be with you based on how you look. Nobody.

I will prove you wrong on that.

Tch, we'll see.

"Naraku?"

"Hm?" My eyes became focused and I realized that Kagome was in front of me. "What?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just...nothing. You ready to go?"

"Mhm." She gave me a gentle smile and I returned a small one. What Xiohu had said just hit me. Since my change in appearance, Kagome doesn't look at me as much as she used to. Maybe he was right, maybe she wouldn't fall in love me because of how I look.

How many times do I have to tell you Naraku. You will never find anyone who will love you.

"Stop talking to me Xiohu."

You'll only have me.

"I said shut up!" I ruffled up my hair, trying to massage out the pulsing that was beating against my head.

"Naraku, are you okay?" Kagome came up to me and grabbed my hands from my hair, holding the side of my face. "Look at me Naraku." I opened my eyes and looked into Kagome's eyes. Her eyes met mine for a bit before she looked away, her eyes focusing elsewhere. I growled in my throat and removed her hands from my face.

"I'm fine. Let's just get to my grandmother's house." I walked passed her and exited out the restaurant, heading for my car. Kagome was a few inches behind me until I unlocked my car, her slipping into the passenger seat and I into the driver. I started up the engine and headed for my grandparents house.


The car ride to my grandparents house was in silence. I didn't really have much to say to Kagome since I was feeling awkward around her. It didn't seem like she had much to say to me either. I pulled up into the driveway and parked the car. I stepped out of the vehicle and headed towards the door, Kagome slowly trailing behind me. I knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer.

"Uh, Naraku?"

"What?"

"Are you mad at me or something?"

I let out a sigh. "I don't know."

"Did I do something?"

"I'll tell you later." I heard locks unlock and the door swing open to see my grandfather. "Hey grandpa."

"Hey ol' boy. You're grandmother is in the spell room. Come on in." He turned his eyes onto Kagome and asked, "And who is this fine flower?"

"This, is Kagome."

"So this is the lovely Kagome. It is nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," Kagome said as she bowed to him. "How are you?"

"I am wonderful actually, but just concerned about Naraku here." My grandfather turned his eyes back on me and said, "Your grandmother managed to find an old recipe that should turn you back to your original appearance."

"Thank God. I can't stand going out looking like this. I am starting to scare my customers."

"I know my son. Let us all go meet up with grandma." We walked in and followed my grandfather to the spell room. I always hated going in there when I was a kid. Stepping into the room, it was dimly lit with candles everywhere and you could smell all the different scents that my grandmother had used in order to make what she needed to create. So far, I was not liking what I was smelling and I was not looking forward to what the concoction tasted like. My stomach started to churn at just the thought. "Hold it together Naraku, you will be fine," my grandfather said with a smile on his face. I stuck my tongue out at him and he laughed. My grandmother turned around and had a huge smile on her face.

"Kagome," she said as she came up and gave her a hug. "It is so nice to see you again my dear."

"It is nice to see you too."

She turned her attention to me and shook her head. "You are getting worse by the minute. Xiohu is not making this easy for you, at all."

"I know. I need to find the one that got away and kill him before he pops up again."

"Yes. Kanna is working on that. So far she hasn't come across anything."

"I hope she does soon."

"No worries Naraku. You will either overcome Xiohu, or you two will become one. In the end, you will win this battle."

"I hope so." This time, I directed those words to Kagome. She looked up at me but soon looked down on the ground, rubbing her hands back and forth. I smirked. "Grandpa says that you found a recipe that will restore my original appearance?"

"Yes, I did, but you won't like the taste of it."

"I had a feeling I wouldn't." She went to the stove and poured me a cup of whatever it was from the tea kettle. She handed it to me and just when I was about to drink it, she stopped me. "What?"

"You need to add a drop of your blood into the drink in order for it to activate its true source when you drink it."

"Are you kidding me?" She shook her head. "Fine." I took my wrist to my mouth and bit down as hard as I could to draw blood. I managed. I hovered my wrist over the cup and let a few droplets of my blood mix into the drink. I took a heavy deep breath before I chugged down the horrible taste down my throat. My body shivered as I swallowed the last bit. "Ah that was disgusting."

"Here." My grandfather handed me a towel to wipe up the blood that was dripping from my wrist. I didn't make that big of a wound to bleed that much, but I know they didn't want my blood on their floor. I could feel Kagome's eyes on me as I cleaned myself up.

"What?"

"How could you – ?"

"It was the easiest way to draw blood that I could think of. I wasn't going to let my grandmother come near me with a knife. Are you joking?" I chuckled and she gave me a short smile. The drink was not sitting well with my stomach and I felt like I was going to throw up.

"Don't throw it up. It means that it's working."

"Easier said then done," I said, trying not to heave it up. I doubled over and leaned against the wall, trying to catch my breath. "What was in that drink."

"You don't want to know." I just rolled my eyes and felt myself start to sweat. "Naraku, you should lay down." My grandmother took me by the hand and lead me to the couch which she laid me on. My body started to shake and I felt cold, though it was warm in the house.

"Am...I supposed... t-to feel...c-cold?"

"Yes my dear. Kagome."

"Yeah?"

"I need you to sit and stay with Naraku while I go retrieve the item I need to give you."

"Um, okay."

"Come on dear." My grandparents both left Kagome and I in the room while they left to go find whatever they needed for Kagome. She looked around before she slowly came and accompanied me on the couch. Lifting up my head, she sat where it laid, resting my head on her lap. My eyes traced over her face, but she refused to look at me.

"K-Kagome, w-why won't... y-you look...at m-me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Heh. You're e-evn...doing it...n-now."

"I'm sorry Naraku. I don't mean to, it's just that, I don't see you."

"What?"

"I mean, I don't see you how you were before. I see you turning into Xiohu, and it's scaring me."

"At least, y-you don't have t-to live with i-it."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine." We stayed in silence for a few minutes until I felt myself become hot. "Fuck, now I'm hot."

Kagome placed her hand on my forehead. "Yeah, you are warm." She looked me in the eye and a tiny smile started to appear on her face.

"Why are you smiling?"

"You're starting to look like your old self. Your eyes are back to their crimson color and your hair is becoming darker. Even your skin is looking better. Smile?" I flashed her a smile and she laughed. "And your teeth are back to normal."

"Thank you grandma." We both chuckled. I was feeling better since my temperature was going down, but I didn't want to move from Kagome's lap. I was comfortable there. Kagome started to run her hand against the top of my head as she started to hum a sweet melody. "That is a nice sound."

"Glad you like it." She continued and I closed my eyes to enjoy it more. I could feel myself start to drift off until I felt her hand start to rub my ear. I froze and bit back a groan that was in my throat. She was rubbing it very softly and I was enjoying it too much. I could feel myself become hard and I knew I had to stop her before it got out of hand. It took all of my strength to grab her hand to have her stop. "Hm? What is it Naraku?"

I let out the breath I was holding and said, "You were rubbing...my ear." Kagome had a confused look on her face until it clicked.

"Oh!" She covered her mouth and I just laughed. "I am so sorry Naraku. I honestly forgot that your ear made you - I'm sorry."

"Haha, it's okay Kagome. No big deal."

"How could I forget something like that."

"Forget what?" I sat up and saw my grandparents walking back into the room with a small brown box in my grandfather's hand.

"Nothing. What's in the box?" I asked.

"This," my grandmother said as she opened up the box, "is a family heirloom. It is to protect anyone who wears this necklace from any type of evil. As long as the necklace remains around the users neck, he or she cannot be touched." She pulled out the necklace from the box and placed it around Kagome's neck. It was an ivory stone attached to a gold chain. "This stone here is unlike any ivory stone. When it feels that there is evil lurking, it will start to glow and cast an invisible veil over you. You must never take this necklace off, okay Kagome. No matter what."

"I won't take off the necklace. It's very beautiful."

"That necklace has been in our family for over one hundred years. You are the first 'outsider' to wear it."

"Outsider?"

"The necklace was usually worn by someone who was already in the family, but since we consider you family, the necklace will work for you."

"Wow. Thank you."

"Hell, I wish you guys had given Onigumo and I that when we were younger so we wouldn't be in this predicament."

"We thought you guys were safe since we had thought we killed off the Jing Family. If we knew there were some still lurking around, you would have been wearing the necklace. And it's nice to see that you are back to how you really look," my grandfather said.

"For now until that last member comes back around and disturbs Xiohu."

"Even if that happens, you will remain how you are. Don't give up so quickly Naraku," my grandmother said softly.

"It's hard not to when I get worse every day."

"I am sure everything will work out fine," my grandfather said with a gently smile on his face. I looked at Kagome and she to me and we just gave each other a nervous smile. "But, it is getting late. You two should start heading out. We will see you guys another time."

"Alright." We hugged them goodbye as we walked ourselves out. "Well, that wasn't as bad as I thought it would be."

"You thought it would be bad?"

"I always think its going to be bad when I come to my grandparents house for these reasons." I laughed and she laughed with me. "You hungry?"

"Yes, actually I am."

"What are you in the mood to eat?"

"Spaghetti."

"Spaghetti? I was thinking of a fast food place, not dinner."

"I mean, your...spaghetti, Naraku." My hand froze on the handle of my car. I looked over the roof to look at Kagome, her eyes sparkling in the moon light. She gave me a nervous smile and looked away from me. "If that isn't too much trouble."

"You want me to cook dinner for you?" She nodded her head. "Huh." I opened up the car door and slid in, Kagome following suit. I looked at the clock on the dashboard and read twelve thirty. "I don't have any of the supplies that I need to make spaghetti, but I can stop by WinCo to pick up what I need if you can wait."

"I have all night." I had no idea what was up with Kagome, but I was liking it. This whole month, she was being good to me, aside from not being able to stand how I looked for awhile. Maybe I was starting to have her fall in love with me. I had a huge smile on my face as I drove off to WinCo.


I gathered all the items that I needed from the store to make my famous spaghetti. And what even made this night better, was the fact that Kagome actually decided to help me prepare the meal. "I'm supposed to be making the meal for you."

"I know, but I want to at least help. We've never done anything like this with one another. So I am helping whether you like it or not."

"Alright, alright." I gave her a cheesy smile and she gave me a tiny one back. I was glad I was getting the attention from her, but I felt that something was wrong. "Is everything okay Kagome?"

"Yeah, everything is fine. Just have a lot on my mind."

"Worried about the Jing family?"

"Uh, y-yeah."

"Don't worry about them. As long as you wear this," I say as I pick up the stone, "nothing will happen to you. And I will make sure nothing happens to you." Kagome's face started to flush. The smile from my face went away as I grabbed her around the chin softly and pulled her face closer to mine.

"I-I thought you said there would be no kissing between us."

"I can't help myself right now with you looking innocent."

"I'm not innocent," she whispered.

"I know," I whispered back as I placed my lips on top of hers. I kissed her passionately, with all that I had. I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her closer to me. She opened her mouth as she wrapped her arms around my neck as I plunged my tongue in, swirling it around and around alongside hers. The kiss felt real and like there was meaning behind it. It was this type of kiss that I had missed with Kagome. Tiny noises started to escape from Kagome's mouth and that just wanted me to have her more, but I know I needed to calm myself. I pulled away from the deep kiss, kissing her lips softly once more before I was fully away. Kagome looked flustered and I liked it. "We should get cooking."

"Y-Yeah, we should." I smiled again before I started up the stove and began to brown the meat.


The spaghetti came out superb. I added extra cheese into the meat to give it that cheesy texture. Who doesn't love cheese on their pasta? I served the pasta into bowels and sat them at the table, Kagome sitting their patiently, waiting to eat. By the time I was done, it was nearly three o'clock. I placed some garlic bread in the middle of the table, lit some candles on the table and poured us each a glass of Chardonnay. I wanted this night to be perfect for Kagome. It was the first time we had been on a date since she broke up with me. I wanted her to remember this night.

"You didn't have to do all this for me Naraku."

"Yes, I did. I have been wanting to go on a date with you for awhile. I wanted to go all out for you tonight."

"I wish you hadn't."

"Why?"

"N-Nothing. Let's just eat." And we ate. "My God this is so good Naraku."

"It's one of my specialties." I smiled and she smiled back, a real genuine one. How much better could this night go? We had our small talk here and there to catch up with one another, but that's when it took a turn. Kagome's smile started to fade from her lips as she folded up her napkin and placed it in the empty bowl. "What's the matter Kagome?" She didn't respond or look up. "Kagome?"

"I can't do this anymore."

"Can't do what?"

"This, I can't see you anymore."

"What, why? Where is all of this coming from?"

"I have to go." Kagome got up from the table but I grabbed her arm before she had the chance to dash out of the kitchen. "Kagome, talk to me."

"I'm sorry Naraku."

"What are you saying sorry for?" Kagome didn't say anything. I stood up from the table and tried to wrap my arms around her but she stepped away.

"Don't."

"Tell me what is wrong – ?"

"I am engaged to Hojo!" she screamed. I felt my heart drop to the bottom of my feet. Did I just hear her right? She is engaged to Hojo? To HOJO! I shook my head for a minute to clear the rage from my eyes before I spoke.

"You're...engaged to Hojo?" She nodded her head. "Why? When?"

"He proposed to me several weeks ago."

"And you said yes?" She nodded her head again. "I can't believe this. So this whole entire time that we have been together, it was because you wanted to spend the last amount of what you could have with me, so you could break this, horrendous news?" She nodded her head again. "You fucking bitch. I fucking love you, and you turn on me?"

"What? You l-love me?"

"Yes, I do, but you, just like Kikyo, had to break my heart!"

"I'm sorry Naraku –

"Get the fuck out!" My eyes went wide as I doubled over in pain. "Ah!" I clutched at my chest as I started to fill my insides rip apart. Tears were streaming down my face as I tried to steady myself. "You have hurt me...so much Kagome." I looked up at her and she had fear and sadness in her eyes. For once, I was glad she feared me, but why was she said. She just broke my heart, not the other way around. "I love you. It has taken me so long to love again and when I did, you just stomp on it."

"Naraku – " She reached out for me but I barked for her to get away.

"Just go Kagome! I never want to see you again!"

"Goodbye... Naraku..."

"Leave!" I watched Kagome walk out my front door. I closed my eyes and collapsed onto the floor, tears running down my face more and more. I slammed the floor down with my fist and screamed out all of my anger, hate, and frustration as I felt darkness start to swallow me up; never to see the light again.

"You win... Xiohu..."

(END)


Onigumo's head shot up when he felt a sharp presence from his brother. "Dammit!" Kaguya was startled by his outburst and looked around the room to see Onigumo rustling about the room.

"What's the matter Onigumo?" she asked sleepily.

"It's Naraku. Xiohu... is..."

"You don't mean...?"

"I need to get him to my grandmother's house... NOW!"

In no time, he pulled up in front of the apartment and Onigumo hopped out of the car with his adrenaline pumping. Without thinking, he kicked down the door and found Naraku sprawled out on the kitchen floor. "Naraku!" He ran up to his brother and knelt by him, flipping him over onto his back. "Naraku, wake up! What happened?"

"K-Kagome...engaged... Hojo..."

"What?" He looked over his brother and knew that this was it. "You can't leave me Naraku. You can't let Xiohu win."

"It's too late for that," Naraku said in a demonic tone. "This body...is mine. Haha."

"Not if I will have anything to do with it."

"Come now Gonju, you know you want to join me." Onigumo felt Gonju stir, but he did not respond. "Tch, you're weak Gonju."

"Oh shut up." Onigumo lifted Naraku onto his shoulders and carried him down to the car, placing him in the back seat. "I hope my grandparents can come up with something before Xiohu takes full control."

"Heheh, Naraku is long gone."

"Shut up!"

"You're lucky I am not at my full power right now. That damn Naraku and his love for Kagome. Causing my body to be weak." Onigumo gassed on the pedal and zoomed off towards his grandparents house, praying that Naraku wasn't too far gone for them to bring him back.

"Hold on, Naraku."