CONTENT WARNING: POTENTIAL TRIGGERS: RAPE, VIOLENCE

Chapter 8: Fate

The ominous grey sky above was all that greeted Kagome as she passed through the shimmering gate between her world and the Makai. She quickly climbed up the ladder and over the lip of the well, sprinting all the way back to Kaede's village. "Come on Kirara!" Kagome yelled at their feline companion that transformed as soon as she saw the urgency on her face. Bow and arrows in tow, they took to the skies. "I'll explain everything when I get back!" Kagome called down to a very concerned Sango from the skies.

She arrived at the mountainside cave by dawn the next day. "I never thought I'd be back here again…" Kagome said quietly. Kirara landed with a thud and they both made their way inside. Luckily Kagome had mapped out the entirety of the hideout in her months as their captive. She was able to locate their main sitting room easily.

"Kagome?" Kuronue blinked, halting his conversation with his partners. "What are you doing here?"

Kagome threw her arms around him and sobbed into his chest. "Stupid! It's been over a month!"

Kuronue apologized and hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry, Youko was worse off the Yomi made it seem. He's finally almost back at one hundred percent though. I was going to return to you after our raid tonight."

"Well I'm going." Kagome answered stubbornly. Yomi choked on his wine behind them and began to chuckle, earning a swift punch in the head from Youko.

Kagome glared at him "I'm sorry didn't I have you singed in a head on the floor a couple of months ago?" Yomi mumbled something under his breath before taking another sip of wine and glaring at Youko. He had forgotten about that little incident.

Kuronue shook his head in protest. "No, it's too dangerous."

"I am an archer and a priestess! You know I can hold my own we've been fighting demons together for weeks!" Kagome yelled, putting her hands on her hips. "Plus, I have Kirara." She pointed at the large saber-toothed cat demon next to her who reverted back into a kitten and jumped in her arms meowing in agreement. Kuronue finally caved and agreed on the condition that she stay with him and Kirara the entire time.

It was getting close to sundown. Youko had barely looked at her since she got there that morning. Kuronue flew ahead with her and Youko flying on Kirara close behind. She couldn't help feeling a little bit awkward with him holding onto her waist and she wiggled uncomfortably. Yomi was assigned a recon mission and ran down the mountain path below them. "I forgive you." He said quietly from behind her. "I know you could've killed me that day but you chose not to." Kagome chose not to respond and spent the rest of the three hour flight in silence.

The outline of a large castle came into view through the thick fog. "This is where I was ambushed. I would've did if I hesitated for even a moment. It's a clan of high class demons… Feel free to stay up here on this neko if you've changed your mind" Youko warned. Kagome shook her head and guided Kirara down to the forest floor. "I'll be fine." Youko shrugged and told Kuronue to follow from the canopy. Kirara reverted back into her tiny form and hid in the bushes with Kagome. Youko changed into his fox form and crept silently up and over the gate. A few minutes passed before he cried out the signal and Kuronue leapt down and advanced with Kagome close behind. They flew over the top of the gate and landed silently in the courtyard before them. As they made their way through to the castle doors Kagome began to feel on edge. This was too easy, she nocked an arrow. "We need to get out of here, there's something wrong." Kirara hissed and transformed back into her feral form, jumping in front of Kagome instinctively. As if they were waiting for them to figure it out, an alarm sounded. Lower class demons appeared from the shadows and archers from the rooftops. "The thieves have returned. Kill them and collect their bounty."

Kagome jumped on Kirara's back and flew over the top of the castle, taking out three of the archers with her sacred arrow. Below Kuronue and Youko were surrounded by nearly one hundred guards. Kuronue looked at Youko who nodded, smirking at the bat before raising his hands in false surrender. "Come quietly and I promise you'll have a swift death." The general of their men made his way over to them slowly. As he reached for them Kuronue jumped into the air, drawing his weapons and Youko pulled the seed from his hair and flicked his wrist. The men screamed in agony as his rose whip cut through the majority of the men on the front lines. Their bodies fell, cut clean in half to the ground in a bloody puddle. Kuronue flipped backwards and went into a dive into the middle of the men, cutting down at least ten of them with his scythes. The coppery stench of battle hit Kagome's nostrils and it took everything for her not to vomit. She concentrated, aiming another arrow at the men on the rooftops. Suddenly a spear came from below, stabbing Kirara in the shoulder and sending them plummeting to the ground below. Kagome was flung off of Kirara's back and landed painfully against the front gate. She was winded and knocked out cold.

She came to a while later in a strange room. There was a desk laden with books and notes of some kind. Not far from her there was also a chemist's table full of bottles, scrolls and test tubes. She was tied down to a chair and unable to move. "Ah, you truly are a powerful priestess." Came a cold voice from behind her. Her eyes found its owner. He was a tall thin demon with long black hair and piercing violet eyes. "The serum I gave you should have kept you unconscious for at least three more hours. You'll still be paralyzed for the duration I'm afraid and your spiritual powers will be sealed as well." Kagome's body pulsed and she saw three jewel shards embedded in his forehead. "What is he going to do to me?" She thought miserably. Her bracelet shined brightly and pulsed wildly, signifying that she was in danger. "Help me Kuronue!"

The demon made his way in front of her and tilted her chin, making her look into his terrifying eyes. "You're such a beauty, I might even fuck you twice before I kill you."

"WHAT?!" Kagome screamed in her mind trying desperately to move as he untied her. He slowly began to undress her. First her shirt, which he threw effortlessly to the floor. Then he proceeded to tear off her skirt, bra and underwear. Naked and afraid, she felt tears stream down her cheeks and onto her chest. The demon smirked before licking them off of her with a forked tongue. He breathed in her scent deeply as his hands trailed over her breasts then her stomach. "You're mated." He said when he came across Kuronue's mark. "Is it one of the demons outside killing my men? I'll have to take my revenge out on your fragile body." He hissed, pulling his pants down passed his hips. He was already standing at attention. He ran his hands over her thighs and looked at the delicious look of terror on her face before prying them apart and sliding his fingers into her. Kagome whimpered and he covered her mouth with his own, kissing her passionately while his free hand massaged her breast. He stopped only for a moment before lifting her to her feet and pressing her up against the wall. He lifted one of her legs and put it around his waist as he positioned himself at her entrance. Kagome closed her eyes tightly and lost all hope.

Suddenly the door burst open, Youko and Kuronue, both soaked in blood stood in the doorway. Upon seeing what was happening they were both sent into a blind rage and dove for the snake. The castle lord dropped a still limp Kagome onto the floor and jumped out of the way just in time. "Come on now boys, I barely got the tip wet." He smirked. Kuronue grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the wall. Little drops of blood began to form around his claws.

"You have the audacity to touch my mate?" His voice was cold.

"Shame you barged in when you did. I was one thrust away from filling her up." The demon smirked and choked out. Kuronue put his other fist through the wall. "You're going to die tonight. Slowly…Painfully."

"Am I really?" The snake hissed as his eyes changed from violet to red. He began to transform and soon his fangs were as long as Kuronue's arm. His body became long and coiled around the room. His large cobra like head went through the ceiling, causing it to cave in as he twisted his body around Kuronue, squeezing him hard. "YOUKO! GET KAGOME OUT OF HERE!" Kuronue yelled as the castle began to fall down. "NO!" Kagome managed to scream as Youko picked her up and over his shoulder. He ran out the door and Kagome could see the demons head sticking through the roof of the castle, fangs bared before she saw him strike. Kagome's heart shattered. "Kuro, he's going to die." Outside Kirara was finishing off the remaining men. Youko put Kagome over her back and jumped on with her. "Go Kirara. There's no hope for Kuronue, he'll be devoured."

By the time they got back to the hideout Kagome could move freely again. Youko gave her one of his robes to cover up with. "I'm sorry this happened to you." He said sadly. Kirara curled up in kitten form, placing her head in Kagome's hand trying to comfort her. Kagome fell into a fetal position on the cave floor and sobbed herself to sleep. Youko changed into his kitsune form and sat outside crying into the night sky over the loss of his best friend.