Disclaimer: Inuyasha isn't mine
A/N: IMoveTheStarsForNo1…yes, I really do! Sorry about the wait friends, enjoy!
Kagome.
Inuyasha's body landing on mine knocked the wind out of me and I was thankful that the floor was carpeted, or I might have lost consciousness. Inuyasha pushed himself up halfway and blood dripped from a gash in his arm.
"Kagome," He growled, "You need to get away from here, understand?"
Leave him? I couldn't! But what good was I to him right now?
Talons came swinging towards us again and Inuyasha flung me back with such force that the carpet burned my skin. Backflipping, he snatched up his sword and yanked it from its sheath. Before my eyes, the rusty old katana transformed with a flash of light into an enormous fang. He crouched in front of me, ready to spring.
The monster chuckled.
"You cannot beat me with that, halfling. You know who I am, and what I can do." Inuyasha didn't move.
"You want Kagome? Over my dead body, Goshinki."
I gasped. I know he told me to run, but I'm not sure my legs would support me if I tried to stand. I had no word for this creature other than a monster. Three times Inuyasha's size, the horns and tail were like a bull's, but he stood on two legs with long arms tipped with wickedly sharp claws. His eyes glowed red and his mouth was full of wetly shining teeth.
I've never been so scared in all my life. Naraku had sent this thing, to get me? Why?
"I can read your mind, half-breed. You're wondering why Sesshomaru hasn't appeared. The answer is simple; he isn't here. He's gone to kill Naraku, leaving Kagura and his beloved daughter unattended. Tell me, what do you think he'll do when he returns to see me feasting on the girl's corpse?"
"Nothing, because you'll be dead." Inuyasha snapped. He swung the sword at Goshinki's throat, but he disappeared in a blur. How could a creature so big move that fast? I knew he was strong, but could Inuyasha win this fight? The floor gave away, weakened by the broken wall. I screamed, trying to find something, anything to grab onto.
I heard Inuyasha call my name, but he couldn't get to me. Hands latched onto mine and kept me from plummeting into the pile of rubble below.
"Don't worry Kags," Miroku grunted.
"We've got you!" Sango panted. Together, they pulled me up to secure ground.
"Where's Kohaku?" I asked urgently.
"He's gone to help Kagura protect Rin." Sango answered, her voice was a mixture of pride and frustration. "But Kagome, we need to get out of here!"
I grabbed her arms.
"But Inuyasha!" I cried, "I can't leave him!"
"Think Kagome! Inuyasha has his hands full already, if you stick around you'll only be in his way! He can't beat Goshinki if he's worried about protecting you!" I think Sango and Inuyasha have had this argument before. Miroku's voice was gentler, but he was just as insistent.
"At the very least, we have to get out of this house before their fighting brings it down on our heads. Please Kagome!" I looked back at the battle. The emergency floodlights had come on, drawing my attention to the garish wounds dotting Inuyasha's body.
Calm down, Kagome. Those are just grazes, or he'd have been torn in half by now. Ngh!
He seemed like he could barely even feel the pain, he matched Goshinki's every move, gradually pushing him further and further from the house. The damage was even more widespread than I'd thought; in that one attack, Goshinki had decimated the entire side of the mansion facing the lake. The floorboards creaked under our feet; a reminder to be careful, but to get the hell out of there as soon as possible. The stairs had been destroyed. One wrong move and we'd be impaled on one of the many jagged shards of wood.
We did make it down, though Miroku lost his footing and landed hard enough that I heard his ankle crack.
"Miroku!" Sango cried. A sudden rush of wind, almost like the start of a tsunami grabbed my attention.
With a battle cry, Inuyasha leapt into the air and slashed at Goshinki's head. To my horror, Goshinki caught the sword in his jaws and bit down.
The sword shattered. Inuyasha's moment of shock was all Goshinki needed to tear a gash in Inuyasha's stomach.
His limp body hit the ground with a thump, in a steadily growing pool of blood.
I stopped thinking. I heard Sango call for me to come back, but I ignored her. It couldn't be. It just couldn't be.
"Inuyasha!" I sobbed, tears rolled down my cheeks in hot streaks. "Inuyasha!" I kept running, I had to get to him.
Goshinki suddenly materialized into my path. I saw the claws swinging towards me and instinctively, I held up my hands to protect my face. The blow never came. A flash of blinding pink light burst from my palms. Whatever it was, it was strong enough to send Goshinki flying.
I didn't stop, I had to get to him.
I dropped to my knees, nearly losing my balance on the slippery ground.
"Inuyasha, get up," I begged, "Please don't be dead, you have to get up!"
His eyes were open, but empty.
Goshinki's chuckle sent a chill down my spine.
"Naraku was right about you. Your power is wasted on you, but I will soon fix that!"
He snatched me right off the ground and lifted me to eye level. His eyes narrowed in a cruel smile and his mouth opened.
"No!" I screamed as the horrible truth dawned on me. I thrashed, I kicked, I beat him with my fists, but I might as well have been fighting a wall. "No! Inuyasha! Inuyasha, help!" I could smell the rotting meat on his breath.
Goshinki dropped me. I don't mean he let me go, his entire arm went crashing to the ground. I screamed at the impact when his claws punctured my stomach.
It was Goshinki's turn to look shocked. And me, I wasn't sure how to feel.
Inuyasha was alive and on his feet, but he wasn't himself. His eyes were red with icy blue pupils, jagged purple crests had appeared on his cheeks and his fangs and claws had lengthened to deadly points.
"What's this?" Goshinki exclaimed, "Your mind has become nothing but bloodlust! How is this possible?"
Inuyasha didn't answer, he just smiled.
I crawled out of Goshinki's dismembered limb with a hand pressed against my stomach. Call me a coward if you want, but I couldn't bear to watch. Goshinki was a monster and needed to die, I could understand that. But I don't know what was worse; the wet sound of spurting blood or Inuyasha's laughter.
I felt something hard and round brush my fingers. Blinking in surprise, I held it up.
A shiny pink bead, the size of a large marble.
"What the hell is happening to me?" I whispered. A breeze tickled my fevered skin and I was suddenly aware of the eerie silence.
I forced myself to look. Goshinki was in pieces and at the centre of it, with his crimson gaze fixed on me, was Inuyasha. He took a step towards me.
"Inuyasha!" Sango put herself in front of me. Miroku hadn't moved from where he'd landed; he must have been hurt worse than I thought. "You've got to fight it. The enemy is gone." She went closer to him, with her hands raised in a nonthreatening display.
"This isn't you," she crooned, "there's no need for you to fight anymore." He tried to sidestep her. She blocked his path. A menacing growl rose from his throat and she still refused to move. Snarling in anger, Inuyasha batted her out of the way like she was nothing more than an irritating fly. She grunted when she hit the ground, clutching her shoulder.
What should I do? I had no idea how bad the wound in my stomach was; would it tear open if I tried to run? Besides, if I ran, he would chase.
He was only inches away from me now, crouched down so our eyes met.
You did what any sane person would do.
I'd doubted him once before and nearly lost him forever. This might be the craziest thing I have ever done, but…
Shaking, I wrapped my arms around him in the lightest of embraces.
"Thank you, you saved my life." I whispered, "But you need to change back ok? Sango is going to be pissed that you hit her, and you need to apologize. Please?"
He'd gone completely still.
It's official, I thought, as his blood soaked through my pyjama top and mingled with mine, I am completely insane. But I wouldn't let go. I trusted him with my life.
I felt dizzy all of a sudden, either from blood loss, the adrenaline crash or both and I began to lurch to the side. I was caught by a strong but gentle hand.
"Kagome…" He murmured in a velvety timbre, "Kagome."
The sight of his honey gold eyes made me dissolve into tears. Pressing my face into his shoulder, I clung to him and sobbed.
I don't remember when I lost consciousness, but it was morning when I woke up. While I was unconscious, my injuries had been cleaned, bandaged and I'd been changed into clean clothing. The bead had been strung onto a thread and hung around my neck. I gave it an experimental touch. I'd expected it to be cool, but it was warm and seemed to hum with energy. Just what the hell was this thing?
I had so many questions! But first and foremost; I looked around. I was in a makeshift hospital tent. Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha all lay on cots similar to mine. Sango's arm was in a sling and Miroku's ankle had been treated as well. Inuyasha was more bandage than skin, but he was sleeping soundly.
"Miss Kagome?"
I blinked.
"Rin?" I asked. My voice was hoarse. Must have been all the screaming from last night.
"You're safe now," She said kindly, pushing my bangs away from my face. "But when you're feeling up to it, Father wants to talk to you."
I nodded and closed my eyes. I felt so lethargic that I didn't think to resist when Rin gently eased the necklace over my head and took it away.
TBC
