An Inuyasha Story

Chapter 8

It had been two weeks to the day sense I awake in Kagome's house and I've never let myself get far from her side. She offered me a bed in the house, but I prefer my tree. I've chosen a nice branch were I can look down on her at night. I don't know what it is about this girl, but I felt drawn to her. Humans call it love at first sight, I think. Ever sense the day Kouga showed up and I watched her make the pottery I've wanted to protect her. I looked down at the sleeping girl in the window. How did you do this to me wench?

A flicker of light caught my eye and I turned to see the sun rising. It was ruby red and painted the sky a bright shade of pink. A sun like that could only mean one thing; blood would be shed this day. I growled, before looking back at Kagome. Her face was painted in blush from the new morning light. I would not leave her side today. I saw her frown and stir in the new light. I smiled; she is beautiful even when she frowned. I leapt from my tree and entered the house.

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I heard the door open and close. I didn't need to open my eyes to know it was Inuyasha. He had really never left after that day, I think it's his way saying thank you. I heard him plop noisily into a chair at the table and begin drumming his clawed fingers. I groaned and muttered for him to be quiet.

"You were awake before I walked in wench." Damn him. I opened my eyes and glared at him across the room. He just smirked back at me with his cocky smile.

"Fine. What do you want for breakfast?" I asked as I woke Souta and crawled out of bed. Of course I already knew the answer.

"Ramen." He grunted. I shook my head and smiled.

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I waved to Souta as he headed to herd in the horses from the back pasture and I want into the barn to milk the cow. Inuyasha was following me and watching me. Normally I wouldn't care. After two weeks around him I'd grown used to catching him looking at me, but today was different. When I caught him looking he didn't look away or blush or insult me. He was looking at me with a…calculating look, as if he was waiting for something to happen. It was making me uneasy. That's when Souta screamed.

I dropped the pail of milk as both Inuyasha and I dashed from the barn. The back pasture was a good ten-minute walk from the barn. I think Inuyasha made it in two. By the time I got there I had no idea what was going on. There were wolves every where. Some lay on the ground bleeding, Inuyasha's doing I'm sure. There was may be another dozen fighting with the half dog demon. Inuyasha was punching, clawing, biting, and throwing wolves left and right trying to get to Souta. My younger brother was backed into a far corner of the pasture by two wolves. He was fending them off best he could with a large stick. One of the wolves leapt and grabbed hold of the stick, then the second wolf leapt. I screamed.

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I am such a fucking Idiot! I was worried about Kagome that I forgot to keep an eye on Souta. I could hear Kagome behind me, but I didn't have time to wait on her. Rounding the corner into the pasture I saw the wolves, tons of them. They had made a circle around Souta and were ready to strike. I rushed forward and took out a lot with my claws. That's when they split ranks. Two of them cornered Souta; the rest came after me. This is insane. Wolves don't fucking act this way! And where in seven hells were they all coming from. For every one I fell two more appeared in its place.

Kagome screamed. For an instant I thought she was being attacked too, but when I looked up I knew why. A large wolf stood over Souta's lifeless body with blood dripping from its jaws. The wolf threw back its head and howled. The wolves retreated. Kagome rushed past me and I caught her in my arms. She gripped my shirt as if it were her last connection to her sanity as she began to cry. God I hate it when girls cry! But what else could I do? So I stood there holding her for what seemed an eternity telling her it would be ok.

I finally carried her back to the house and tucked her into bed. Once she was asleep I retrieved Souta's body. Then I did the only thing I could think to do; I buried him. I marked the grave with a flat stone that I scratched his name in with my claws. Then I went and sat by the hearth to watch over Kagome.

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Kagome had been asleep for a few hours now. I knew I should wake her, she was going to have a hard enough time sleeping tonight without taking an extra long nap. But I couldn't bring my self to do it. She looked so peaceful and waking her meant bringing her back to the world were the last of her family had just been killed. Fuck it all, why couldn't I stop those goddamned wolves! I wanted to hit something!

Damn those wolves! What the hell was wrong with them?! They looked, smelled, and sounded normal; but they didn't act normal. They had gone into that pasture with the intent to kill Souta. But why? There had to be half a dozen foals in that pasture, and as weak as humans are, a newborn foal was weaker. No, they had gone after Souta. They had wanted to kill him, not eat him. Wolves don't kill for pleasure, only humans do that…and some demons. It didn't make sense; it just didn't make fucking sense!

My ear twitched as it picked up a sound in the distance. The sound of a carriage, Kouga's carriage. It clicked. Kouga was a wolf demon. Kouga wanted to marry Kagome. Souta was the only thing standing in his way. That jackass, he even as the nerve to show up after what he'd done. I'm going to kill him!

I checked Kagome once more before stepping outside and closing the door as softly as I could force myself too. I still slammed it. I hope I didn't wake her. I took a place in front of the door and crossed my arms. I scowled at the cheery blue and gold carriage with its four white horses as it pulled to a stop a few meters in front of the house. I watched in silence as a monk dressed in black and purple with a hand print on his face jumped down from the driver seat and hurried to open the carriage door. He left a fuming female with a large boomerang holding the reins. The monk opened the carriage door and bowed as Kouga stepped out. He strode towards me with a very haughty air about him.

"Stand aside." He ordered when he saw I wasn't planing on just moving over.

"Fuck you." I replied and smiled inwardly at the shocked look on his face.

"By Demon Law I am the ruler of this land and I order you to move."

"Kagome is no mood for visitors and I will not move for anyone, especially a bastard like you." I spat back. Kouga gave a rather pathetic faked shocked look.

"What has happened to Lady Kagome? I order you to tell me."

"Feh! I don't need your orders. Her brother was killed by wolves today." a slight mocking smile crossed my lips as I leaned in and whispered, "But I guess you already knew that didn't you?" Now he looked shocked, "That's right I'm on to you, bastard." I sneered at him.

"You can't prove anything." He sneered back. I smirked down at him. I had him pegged.

"Dumbass, wolves don't kill for pleasure. You screwed up." His face fell. I continued, "But don't worry, as long as you never come near this house again I won't give you away." His eyes began to glow with the rage of being blackmailed. He clenched his teeth and fists as he looked me straight in the eyes.

"You haven't heard the last of this half-breed." He growled.

"Feh!" I replied the cocky smile never leaving my face.

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I woke to the sounds of muffled voices. For a minute I wondered how I had gotten into bed in the middle of the day, then I remembered. I wish I hadn't. The tears welled up in my eyes as I pulled the covers up to my chin. The voices outside stopped and after a minute Inuyasha stepped inside with a cocky sort of smile on his face. He looked across the room at me and the smile faded. The next instant I had crossed the room and found myself in his arms, the tears flowing freely.

"Shh, shh," he whispered in my ear, "Its ok. I won't ever let him hurt you again. I swear on my father's grave I won't." I have no idea what he was talking about. So I just snuggled deeper into him and we stayed like that for some time.

"How much did you hear?" he asked very tentatively, as if he really didn't want to ask.

"Wh…What?" I asked raising my blue eyes to his golden ones.

"How much of my and Kouga's argument did you hear?" I shook my head. Kouga was here? The confused look on my face must have given him the answer he was looking for because he relaxed a little and pulled me back to him.

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I sat and stared into the dying fire. This day had felt like an eternity. Inuyasha helped me with all the remaining chores that had to be done. Then, despite his objections, I did a few that weren't essential. I know his was just worrying about me, but the work kept my mind off the day's events. The fire had died to just embers and the room was starting to chill, but I really didn't care.

"You're going to catch cold." Inuyasha scolded. I could have sworn he sounded almost caring…almost. I frowned and shrugged. He placed another log on the fire and stoked it back to a blaze before he spoke again. "Go to bed. Things will look brighter in the morning." He sounded as if he…knew what I felt. Inuyasha had never spoken of his family and I wondered if he had any.

"Yeah, ok." I sighed and went bed. Inuyasha sat at the hearth for a while making sure the fire wasn't going to go out. He must of thought I dozed off because he stood silently and headed for the door.

"Don't leave me…" I heard my own voice call to him. He froze and looked over his shoulder.

"I'll be right out side if you need me." He said and gestured to the tree out the window where he often slept.

"This house…this bed feels so lonely with out anyone else in it."…Did I really just say that? I felt my cheeks get hot and wanted to sink into the floor. Inuyasha just stood there in a way that I couldn't see his face. Then he moved.

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Did she just ask me to get into bed with her? I felt the heat of blush rise to my face and looked away so she wouldn't see. Why would she ask that? What do I say? Did she really mean it? My heart was pounding and I could hear the blood rushing in my ears.

I swallowed hard and turned to her. I smirked to see the mixture of shock and embarrassment on her face, almost like she wanted to sink into the floor. I walked over to her, doing my best not to show her what I was thinking. She looked up at me with unsure eyes. I cocked my eyebrow at her to see what she would do. She opened her mouth as if to say she was just kidding or to cover her embarrassment, then promptly closed it and, to my surprise, moved over. What else could I do? In her eyes I had just accepted her invitation, if I walked away she would be hurt. I couldn't do that to her, for all my insults I really did care for the girl.

I pulled back the covers and slid in next to her. The bed smelled like her; God she smelled good. I felt my blood rush and my heart pound. I felt her move closer to me and I closed my eyes. I could feel my instincts starting to take hold. With a deep breath I suppressed them. I couldn't do that to her, especially not today.

"Thank you." She whispered sleepily as she snuggled close to me. I ran a clawed hand through her hair.

"You're welcome." I sighed.