Chapter 15

"You have failed once again haven't you hanyou? Another woman has died because you didn't protect her. Tell me how long do you plan to continue this? Surely you know what needs to be done by now, or could it be you still have no clue on how to get the jewel?" The youkai side of InuYasha said, with a smirk on his face. InuYasha's youkai side had been going on and on about old failures and that his hanyou side still didn't know the key to getting the jewel. "Don't worry just like Naraku I have figured it out, and I too have a plan as well. And when the crimson moon rises tomorrow night I will finally hold it in my hands.

'Damn!' InuYasha thought, how was he going to get his other half to shut up? He was tired of listening to him. It started as soon as Kagome had returned home from the hospital. 'I can't even see her right now, if I do I know he'll try something. Damn youkai side, always ruling over me. I wish Miroku could do something about this shit.' InuYasha thought, while flopping back onto his bed.

"So should I get you anything while I'm out?" Miroku asked, after peaking in on his pouting hanyou friend. It pained him to see his friend like this, Miroku knew very well it should be InuYasha not him taking Kagome out. Since Kagome had returned home, Miroku and Koga had been taking turns visiting her and taking her out. Miroku knew that secretly InuYasha followed them both, which he didn't mind.

Miroku and Kagome did seem closer compared to Koga and her. But some of that could be due to him seeing her a bit more, more as in from the waist up naked. Yes, to think his hands rested on her soft melons. Well InuYasha would surely have taken Miroku's hands clean off him. Though it was a joyful sight. It wasn't something Miroku wanted to do, but he needed to purify the miasma.

As soon as it was gone Kagome's eyes fluttered open at the same time the door to her room did. It was quite a mess, but events at the hospital had turned Kagome to liking Miroku in a way he wasn't sure about. After all he was rather turned on by that head nurse Sango. 'Thank god InuYasha doesn't know what happened in that hospital room.' Miroku thought, still blushing at the memory.

"No just go, like I'd ever be able to have what I truly want." InuYasha said, his voice low and broken. What he really wanted was to protect her, and just be close to her. He still had no answers about what happened in the hospital. After all for some reason, Miroku refused to tell him. 'I bet he doesn't want to tell me because he knows I'll kill him if I find out. Keh, I bet he kissed her or worse yet touched her.'

Miroku sighed heavily. "Okay, but you know I'll still bring you something either way. You should really just see her at least. Why not walk with me to her room at least. I'm sure it would make her smile to see you." Still InuYasha refused his offer. Miroku knew InuYasha hadn't been himself since Kagome returned to her apartment. He knew part of it was due to the crimson moon that would soon rise. 'What will become of that night, would everything turn out like before or would his youkai side succeed?' Miroku thought.

Once Miroku was gone, InuYasha headed to the balcony. He needed some fresh air, maybe even a hard run too. He always did feel more relaxed when he ran. The feeling of freedom would wash over him and drive this horrible life away. Though it never lasted very long. 'There's always something getting in my way, stealing this freedom from me.'

Miroku made his way to Kagome's door, it was after a few knocks. He was greeted by her sweet smiling face and heavenly smell of lavender perfume. "Hello Kagome, you look lovely today." Miroku said, as he reached out and took her hand and kissed her knuckles.

Kagome blushed at his sweetness and softly giggled. "Oh Miroku, stop teasing me." Kagome replied, with a soft giggle. It made Miroku blush as well. "So InuYasha won't be joining us again?" Kagome asked, a bit sadly. Miroku sighed and shook his head 'no'. "I see, well maybe I could visit him later."

Miroku didn't want to make Kagome feel worse, so he simply agreed with her. "Yes I think that would be a wonderful idea, Kagome. Though maybe you should wait a few days. InuYasha will be working late the next few days." This of course was a lie, but with circumstances the way they were. It was his only choice. He couldn't just tell her, oh his youkai side is possibly going to kill you on the crimson moon night. No, for now Kagome knew enough.

As InuYasha ran over the rooftops, a scent came to him. It was her scent, when he smelled Kagome's scent it called to him. 'Damn why did I have to go this way?' Stopping on the rooftop just above them, InuYasha looked down and saw her and Miroku walking. 'Damn him, not a care in the world. Just enjoying the moment with her.' The sound of Kagome laughing angered InuYasha even more. And when Miroku placed his hand on the middle of Kagome's back, InuYasha growled.

"Something wrong mutt? You seem to be growling at something." InuYasha didn't look his way. Right now the last person he wanted to deal with was a mangy wolf pup. However Koga didn't care what InuYasha felt and moved to see the view below. "Oh I see now the guardian is moving in on your territory is he? And to think tomorrow night I'll be the one with her." Koga said, with a grin big enough to make InuYasha's blood really boil.

"Do me a favor, wolf. Get lost before I kill you." Koga chuckled. "Yeah laugh it up, you mangy wolf. You're just lucky I'm feeling nice today. Or I'd end this right now." InuYasha wouldn't actually kill Koga, but with the crimson moon so close he wasn't sure about his youkai side. InuYasha never feared a crimson moon like he did right now.

"No InuYasha, I doubt you'd succeed. Plus I think you and I do agree on one thing. And that's keeping Kagome safe. I heard something may happen soon. Care to explain what's going to happen on the crimson moon night?"

"None of your damn business, wolf!" InuYasha growled out. "Now why don't you go bother someone else?!" InuYasha said, as he turned to leave.

"Hold it mutt." Koga countered, grabbing InuYasha's arm. "I want answers now!" InuYasha roughly pulled his arm from Koga's grip. "Well, are you going to tell me what's going on? Or are you going to make me beat it out of you?"

InuYasha just stood there for a bit. He really didn't want to tell Koga anything. Still somehow Koga seemed to know something was about to happen to him. "Well it sounds like you already know something is coming. Tell me did Miroku, tell you about me? If he did I swear I'll cut out his tongue."

"Well I wouldn't if I were you mutt. Miroku may be an ass at times, but he's the closest thing you have to a good friend. I for one give him a lot of respect for even being pulled into this curse with you. I don't think I would even do something like that for a pack member." Koga moved from looking at the view below. Kagome and Miroku were long gone from the area now. "I will however protect Kagome from harm, even if it is you, dog boy. I love Kagome and I will not allow you to hurt her or that bastard Naraku." With those words Koga was gone. Since Koga left without InuYasha telling him anything it was proof enough that Miroku told Koga what was coming.

InuYasha was too caught off guard to notice which direction Koga went. And he really didn't want to see him. The words of love, haunted him. "Damn him, and damn that Miroku. They flash the word love around like it's second nature to them." He lowered his head for a moment, thinking back to when he spoke of love. For him it only ended in tremendous hurt and being cursed to an object that never seemed to die. And if that was the case he would never die. 'How ironic is it I can never die unless the jewel does, but all these innocent women have to die. I think you messed up on who you cursed Kikyo. Or is it that you wanted them to suffer, and have me watch. For the rest of eternity I'm forced to watch these women die because of me?' These thoughts often haunted him, and now InuYasha knew he was right.