AN: Last chapter. There's going to be an epilogue after this, so don't throw those rotten tomatoes you! Oh yeah, and the problem with the last chapter...I have no idea what happened. It was all fanfiction.net's fault!!! ...but really, I have no idea what happened. ~.^ I assure you, you missed nothing. They just added some extra words (19 to be exact) so don't worry about it. It just makes the whole chapter look weird though... -_-

Disclaimer: I'm not repeating my self! *sniffs like a snobbish girl*

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The Life of a Devil

What Stays and Dies: Nightmare's Final End

~*~

*Naraku's Hideout – 1:03:59AM*

Kagome didn't know just how long she could continue on like this.

She panted, wincing every time she breathed in the much needed air into her pained lungs and continued staring down at the liquid on the floor in grim fascination.

It was her sweat and blood.

Every time she stretched her skin, every moment she continued living, a fiery burn rushed through her veins and more droplets of blood fell on the floor, mixing with the already growing amount of bloodshed on the cement. There were a few shreds of her shirt that was ripped away when Naraku had whipped her particularly hard for her disobedience.

There was a disgusting taste in her mouth, and she didn't even bother the time to lick the blood away from her bottom lip.

Maybe she should have bitten his tongue off…

She shook her head as a particularly nasty throb emitted from her forehead. The insomniac teen groaned, wanting nothing more than to look at the sunlight for the one last time.

//Click//

Kagome moaned in dismay. It was him again, unlatching the lock.

"What do you want now?" She croaked as the same greasy-haired man entered, but no whips in either of his hands. She didn't know if this was a good thing, or a bad thing.

Naraku walked directly towards her, clasping his hand on her cheek.

This was what she was dreading; his slimy touch.

"You made a very sweet cut on my tongue my dear." Naraku sneered at her.

She glared at him. "I should have bitten your tongue off…" She didn't continue, as she ran out of air and at the same time Naraku forced his hard lips on hers again for the umpteenth time. She didn't even budge for she had lost enough blood to feed about ten baby bats and lost too much energy to do anything at all.

Naraku grabbed Kagome's shoulder, making her cry out in pain because of the long deep cut that ran down all the way to her waist. "Really? If you did, then how could I have done this?"

If Kagome had enough energy, she would have retched or kicked him in the nut when he ran his disgusting tongue on her revealing neck, leaving a long trail of his hot saliva on her skin.

"Do you like that?"

A slow twitch formed on her right eye, staring directly ahead of her at the door with a disgusted face. "Get away from me, freak…"

She hated his chuckle. "But my dear…I was here to take you back to where you belong."

"Don't play with me." Kagome growled rolling her eyes upward. "I may be helpless…but I'm not broken…"

"Dear me…that's too bad." He smirked evilly at her. "But I'm sure that won't last for too long."

"Fuck you."

He sighed, but he laughed. "Kagome, we're going to have one hell of a night after I've killed Inuyasha tonight."

This caught her eyes. "Inu…yasha?"

"Yes. After tonight, you'll see your Inuyasha's dear head on the table in front of you, and I will make you mine…"

Kagome stared at him with her once sparkling eyes – now dull and lifeless, making her frighteningly resemble Kikyou. "What about Hari…or Kizu…whatever her name was." The loss of blood was obviously getting to her memories.

"Now, now…I don't stay with one woman for that long. I like to…taste what life has to offer. I'm sure you would like to know what I'm talking about, mm?" He advanced on her.

"Hell no." She backed away.

A sneer crossed his lips. "Very well…but do heed my words. You will be mine and you will be broken after tonight. Of course…that is after you realize that Inuyasha is gone from this world."

Kagome watched him turn around and walk out the door, the room going back to the dark, cold surrounding again.

A sob escaped her.

Through the tears, she looked up at the ceiling and stared desperately at the chains. Panting heavily, she pulled on her hands again but only earning a painful scream, blood spilling from her bruised wrists.

She couldn't stay here. If she continued to live, Inuyasha would die…and she couldn't let that happen.

I can't…let that…happen…

Kagome gasped. Since when did she care if…if Inuyasha lived?

I…I…

She chocked on a sob and cried desperately into the darkness.

I love him…

*Sesshoumaru's Mansion – 11:43:12AM*

"So you're sure Kanna haven't gotten any new information?"

Kagura sighed, leaning on the wall and crossing her arms in front of her chest. "We only had exactly 24 hours between the time I came here and now. Do you honestly think she could have gotten any more information than the amount she already got for us?"

Sango considered this. "Yeah, she did get a lot for being such a small child…I guess I could be sure then."

"Kanna's just a child, but even if she's my younger sister Naraku trusted her because she vowed to the group of secrecy." She sighed.

"How did you convince her then? She seems like the one to keep promises."

Kagura smiled with a hint of her unusual arrogance. "That loophole was that he never said she couldn't abort."

"When you ladies are finished talking back there…" Kouga barked. "I think you should come back here and start operating this thing." He looked pointedly at Sango with narrowed eyes.

She rolled her eyes. "Honestly Kouga, you just don't trust Kagura that's all."

He snorted, but tried not letting the commentary get to him. It was true he had a bad feeling about Kagura but didn't admit it. He had always been the paranoid one in the group against the enemies. Even Sesshoumaru knew that when Kagome had joined their group, he had been so suspicious as to put eyeholes in his book while Kagome was in the same room.

So here he was now, looking back at Kagura at the furthest from the group near the shadows and switching glances at Sango who was turning on all this technological systems in the computer, acting as if there wasn't anyone in the room that seemed as if they were going to kill them all with a chainsaw…

Kouga growled.

He knew he should never have seen that stupid hacking movie with that stupid mad woodsman with that bloody chainsaw…

"I still can't believe you were able to train Shiro in less than a day."

Sesshoumaru continued staring at the blank screen with an unchanging face expression. "Earned me many bites, I admit."

Sango shrugged. "But I knew you would be able to train Shiro. Though I still think he might really try to take a bite out of Kirara…at least twice…" But inside, she knew that Sesshoumaru had only taken the time to train his dog because the news of Rin still alive had uplifted his spirits…but she didn't say anything about that.

"That will be Shiro's own choice."

Sango turned on the last switch and tapped her feet, watching the monitor beep as the three men shifted on their feet restlessly. Inuyasha was looking especially restless while Sesshoumaru stood still.

Then the screen came on.

"Kirara? Kirara, can you hear me?"

The screen, showing a crowded street faced from a dark alleyway was accompanied by a mew and a bark.

"We have the two mammals stationed. Testing the camera view…" Sango shifted the right arrow a bit and the screen shifted to the right. "Camera view working correctly…waiting for signal."

Kouga and Inuyasha exchanged sarcastic glances while Miroku raised an eyebrow. Sesshoumaru stood unfazed.

"Ready…go Kirara."

On cue the camera view suddenly started shooting forwards, jot passed oncoming traffic and suddenly swerving to the left, avoiding surprised yells and legs getting out of the screen's way. And while the screen continued moving, this whole time a clear bark kept on continuing, never closing in and never fading away.

"Kirara's acting real professional with that camera around its neck." Kouga had to give it to the cat; it was acting as if it really was being chased by a dog.

Miroku nodded. "And Shiro is also acting realistically…unless it really is trying to bite Kirara…"

"Nah…Shiro usually pounces on things if they're so close…alright Kirara." Sango said. "Continue towards the next alleyway…" She turned around, momentary letting Kirara run without her supervision. "Is the entrance in the next alleyway?"

Kagura nodded from the shadows. "It's right next to the parking building; if there are any cars coming out you should follow it."

"Alright." Sango went back to the screen. "Right next to the parking building? Pretty smart…nice escape way…"

"Sango, look." Miroku pointed. "The two men."

Kirara was clearly closing near a clear, tall building with Shiro still on its tail and coming in near a barely visible alleyway. Two men wearing completely black stood out in the mass of people walking the opposite way they were.

"Kirara! Go around the man!" She forced the camera view to the left, forcing the cat to avoid crashing into another pair of legs.

They caught what the two were saying –

"Naraku wants us to switch the flight time again."

"Why?"

"Seems as if there are reports of someone spying on us."

"Hey!"

Kirara shot passed them with Shiro following it in a mad race.

"Kirara! U-turn! U-turn!!!"

The screen suddenly swerved to the right, nearly crashing into a building and a slight screeching noise sounded from the camera view but Kirara continued as well as Shiro.

They passed the two men again –

"– instead of passed midnight, he wants it at an hour before midnight near the opposite dock…"

"Whoa!"

"Stinking mutts!!!"

Sango sighed. "All right Kirara, Shiro. You guys are done. Go back and stay near the alleyway. We'll come and pick you up at the end of the day." She switched off the camera view and the screen was back to blank again.

"So an hour before Midnight…still near the same docks by the sounds of it."

"But that'll still ruin our plan." Miroku frowned.

Sango sighed. "I guess we can't let you go with Sesshoumaru then…this is going to have to be a one man job."

Miroku mentally sighed. Sesshoumaru still sort of made him nervous with that cold emotionless look of his…

"We're going to have to send someone with a swift footing…" Sango continued. "And quick with machinery…"

All eyes directed to Kouga who was staring at all of them with narrowed eyes. "Somehow I knew I would get stuck with the boring job…"

*Naraku's Hideout – 1:43:32PM*

"That shall be all, Kanna."

The white girl nodded, taking back the mirror camera from the table in front of him. Her dull black eyes fixed on his lazy ones for just a moment before she looked back on her recordable glass for an excuse.

"You shall be excused for now."

Kanna nodded and like wind slowly turned around to head out the door, but before she even made it out Naraku reminded her one thing.

"Remember the secrecy honor Kanna." It was accompanied by a loud barking like laughter.

He always reminded her of that…no matter what, every time she left his side it was the same thing. The secrecy honor…

She shook her head.

But she had aborted…she didn't have to tell anything to him. Kagura…what she was doing was completely confidential. There was nothing to be ashamed of…

Her sandal clad feet paused. Her dull black eyes widened in horror. She remembered one thing.

"Kanna; you shall tell me the truth no matter what the circumstances. Even after you are finished working for me, you shall always tell me the truth…do you abide by that secrecy code?"

And she remembered nodding to that.

Dropping her mirror on the marble tiled floor, a loud crack emitted from the porcelain decoration. Teardrops started to form on the side of her eyes as she turned on her heels, running back to Naraku's office with heavy breathing. She was acting nothing like her self.

She didn't want to do this. She hated the secrecy honor…but if she didn't abide, Kagura would be dead.

She had to tell Naraku, no matter how much it killed her to do it.

*That Night…*

Kikyou watched with a grim look.

That Kagome girl…if she didn't know any better, she would have thought she was really dead with that lifeless body of hers.

She winced when the men dragging her to the door literally threw her into the car. Her hand shook but didn't reach into her pocket.

Maybe she really shouldn't have started smoking…

"That will be all for now." Naraku said as he waited for the driver to step out of the vehicle. "I will be leaving. Expect me at midnight." Before he got into the car, his eyes connected with hers for an electric second and he smirked a smirk that only she saw before he got into the driver's seat and started the engine.

He was a sick man…she realized that some short time ago. She could have heard the screams of pain and agony in the hallway if she hadn't locked herself in the bathroom and hadn't let herself believe what he was doing to Kagome. It was true…love did make you blind.

But she hadn't realized that he was going to let all these people die without a second thought. She knew that even he would have left her here not knowing that she was going to die a fiery end if Kanna hadn't told him of Inuyasha's plan.

But an order was an order…

She turned around and headed back to the control center. She was going to have to end this the way she liked it…

Kagome groaned as she laid on the back seat, rubbing her wrists in an excruciating pain but the tears spilling down her cheeks weren't of her agony, but for the joy of having being freed from the chains that bound to her like a second coat of skin.

"Like your new freedom?" Naraku chuckled.

Kagome had lost her mind some hours ago. She didn't bother answering him and she didn't bother moving. She just wanted to enjoy the feeling of soft leather on her skin before what was to happen tonight.

Yet if she had looked out the window, she would have seen two familiar animals running along the sidewalk, the white dog chasing the tan colored cat.

Sighing, she pressed her hand on the panel lock and repeated the last two numbers she had said for the last security gate.

With a swish, the metal door unlatched itself and revealed her the luxurious hallway that seemed the complete opposite to the dirty streets behind her.

Walking in, she took off her sunglasses and revealed her bloody red eyes.

"I'm in." Kagura murmured.

Kouga watched the dock with his night goggles, leaning against the wall with something beside him in the shadows that was wrapped very delicately with a leather sheet. "I found the target jet."

There was a loud thud as a man lifted the heavy box with the sign 'Fragile' on it, but dropped it by the sheer heaviness and was jaunted and scolded by some of his co-workers. There were many identical boxes that were been lifted into the jet.

"Locked on target."

Walking alongside the tall buildings, the man wearing a huge black hat looked up. Tokyo Tower…

Inuyasha lowered his sunglasses to look into the night sky and looked down at his watch. He straightened his composure and made sure his heavy black coat was adjusted.

"Beside Tokyo Tower. Waiting for signal."

Sango looked down below the tall building and turned around, waving for something to approach closer. "Kagura, are you in the room yet?"

"Hold on." The woman replied from the walky-talky. "I'm approaching the control center in a few minutes. Get ready for the signal."

Sesshoumaru came forward, holding the familiar cell phone Kagura always used. He dug his nails into place and flipped it open, revealing the long key for the secured door to the children's room.

"Get your night goggles on."

Kagura turned a corner and walked passed a particular door. She didn't hesitate and walked passed it, hearing a few child-like laughter from inside. Soon enough, they would be free. Sooner than expected, she finally arrived at her destination.

"I'm in the control center."

Sango nodded at Sesshoumaru as they adjusted their night goggles and signaled each other. "Miroku should be done fiddling with the light boxes by now…"

On cue, the whole street darkened with a finger snap and everything was enveloped in darkness.

"…and that must be him right there…" The two forms on top of the room adjusted the ropes around their waist.

Miroku approached the alleyway, looking up only when Sango and Sesshoumaru scaled down the brick wall with secured ropes around them. "The whole street should stay like this until midnight."

"Good. Let's hurry then." Sango clicked on the walky-talky. "Kagura, Kagura; is the control center ready to go?"

There was a slight buzz before she answered. "I've unlocked the gate. The whole place is completely black so you shouldn't have any trouble entering. The control center is still lit by the private electricity."

"All right then. We're now entering the target's building."

"Roger that."

The three approached the gateway and Sesshoumaru pulled out his gun. Adjusting the silencer on the tip of his weapon, he aimed it directly at the third brick to the left and shot it silently.

There was a slightly click and the whole wall opened up to reveal a metal door further down the narrow hallway. They continued on the same route for a whole minute until they finally reached the last door.

Shooting it open, they started in a mad dash as they looked around the blackness with their night goggles.

"It's the third hallway to the right."

"Gotcha." Sango said and continued running. "Any hard time?"

"No; the doors are all secured into place so no one should even try entering unless I open the door from the inside or they know the two codes only Naraku knows."

"There." Miroku pointed towards the same metal door Kagura walked passed. "The kids are should be in there."

Sesshoumaru shot towards the door and started to fondle with the lock with his key.

"I'll go on towards the control center to meet Kagura. You two get the kids."

Sango nodded as Miroku ran passed her, heading to where Kagura was.

A slight click and the door was open.

"Do you see anything?"

Sesshoumaru looked around the room but a moment later his eyebrow was quirked. "Yes…they're under the bed."

A squeak. "Sesshoumaru-sama?!"

It was Rin.

Sango, just realizing how hard it must be for them to see anything in the dark approached the bed cautiously. "Kohaku? Kohaku, are you in there?"

There wasn't a response.

"Answer her!" Rin said.

Kohaku muttered. "Why should I? She could be a spy?"

"She could be your big sister!"

A silence.

"Big…sister…" Kohaku muttered. Something seemed to click. "Sango-nee san?"

Sango bit her bottom lip…but she couldn't cry down in tears right now. "Kohaku, we have to get out of here! Hurry!"

Rin and Kohaku hurriedly shuffled below the bed and each ran towards their own family member. Rin ran full straight into Sesshoumaru's abdomen, earning a grunt from him. Sango quickly hugged Kohaku with tearstained cheeks and looked back into the walky-talky.

"Kagura! Kagura, are you there? Is Miroku with you?"

There wasn't a response. Then suddenly a huge screeching sound echoed in the darkness, red lights beaming every corner that was visible.

"Kagura! Did you set off the fire alarm?!"

No response.

"Kagura! Kagura, can you here me?!"

"No…but I can." A click.

The two adults and two children turned around in the beaming red lights to stare at the familiar female, pointing a gun at the four of them. Sango's left eye twitched.

"Kikyou…"

*3 Minutes before…*

Kagura opened the door and Miroku dashed into the control room, rushing towards Kagura's side who was currently searching through the slightly darkened screen.

"Do you see any signs of the original virus?" She asked Miroku, knowing he would be able to detect what they were looking for through the screen better than her.

He frowned looked through the screen for some time before he shook his head. "No…Naraku must have it with him."

Kagura cursed. "Well, let's get out of here before anyone finds out what the hell's going on." She quickly turned around with Miroku beside her when they stopped in unison, looking at the entrance way with wide eyes.

It was Kanna…and her mirror was missing.

"Kagura…" She whispered.

"Kanna…what are you doing here?" Kagura stepped forward. "You should be gone by now!"

"He…knows." Then she fell flat on the floor, a familiar dart sticking out of the back of her neck.

Kagura would have ran to her sister's side, she really would have, but as she fell on the floor she revealed the person that was standing behind her.

"Kik –!"

Miroku watched in horror as a dart stuck into Kagura shoulder, just nicking her wrist and shooting into one of the screens, sending out some sparks. But a nick was enough for Kagura's veins.

He ducked beside Kagura's unconscious body and avoided a dart, but just as he was about to call on his walky-talky, two darts flew at him in spontaneous directions. He avoided the first one, but the second one dug itself deep into his forearm.

He was unconscious even before he hit the floor beside Kagura.

The familiar raven haired girl walked passed Kanna, walked passed Kagura and Miroku and pressed her pale-skin hand on the big red button.

A loud screech emitted from the ceiling.

Kikyou quickly turned around and walked towards where the other two agents were.

"Sango! Sango, can you hear me? Sango!" Inuyasha continued yelling into the walky-talky with no response.

This was definitely not good.

Breathing in heavily, he walked around the Tokyo Tower and narrowed his eyes when he saw something that made his heart jump. Jumping back to hide himself in the shadows, he realized that it was a car.

And Kagome was looking out of the window.

"Kago –!"

"Don't move."

He froze when he was just about to take out his gun. "The hell…"

"I said don't move." The same croaky voice echoed. It was Naraku's voice.

Turning around, Inuyasha faced a shadowed form a few feet away from him. He smirked. "So…you finally got me at gunpoint."

"Don't talk to me that way."

Inuyasha sneered.

"Drop your gun."

Hesitating first, he dropped his gun on the ground.

"Don't take a step closer."

"I didn't." Inuyasha frowned. Something was real suspicious.

Inuyasha jumped when Naraku shot at him, missing his leg just by inches.

"Hey!"

"I said don't…don't…don't…don't…don't…don't…don't…"

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "What the hell?" He snapped his head back when he heard the car start, driving Kagome away from him. "Hey!"

"Don't…don't…don't…"

Inuyasha picked up his gun and walked closer towards the so-called 'Naraku', looking completely pissed.

By the time he reached the man, he knew that Naraku wouldn't dare dye his hair pale white. It was a corpse tied by the neck with a dark sticking out of the back of his skin and a tape recorder that was now repeating the same word for over and over again by his feet. His hand was also held up with a stick to look as if he was pointing a gun.

"A real corpse…Naraku's getting more disgusting by the second." Turning around, he started to follow the direction the car went.

His feet connected with a mound. Frowning, he looked down at his feet and his eyes widened.

He had just realized that he was surrounded by mounds all over the ground.

Mines…

Kagome kept on staring out the window, her lifeless expression watching the small explosions that was lighting the night. A single tear ran down her cheek.

Naraku chuckled as he continued driving. "I hope Inuyasha's head will be there to be picked up by the garbage man. As for your friends…my dear Hari shall be finished with them."

Another explosion.

Kagome watched the red flames and the black smokes with her dull eyes. Only one thing came to mind.

Inuyasha…

Kouga looked up at the sky with a frown. A huge explosion at Naraku's hideout and even smaller ones near the Tokyo Tower.

He was breathing heavily. This wasn't good.

Shaking his head, he took out the huge object hidden beside him in the shadows. He had to finish his part of the mission. Walking across the shadowed building, he closed in near the private jet, adjusting the leather wrapping around his mysterious weapon.

He never expected the gunshot fired at him.

Naraku smirked and watched his beloved jet start its engine, closing the door and leaning on the car. This was all going perfectly. So perfect it was just unbelievable.

And now she was his.

Kagome, now on her knees on the ground, stared at the airplane with tears pooling out of her eyes. It was over. They had lost…

"Now dear Kagome…"

She didn't even move when he suddenly grabbed her forearm, but still stayed on the ground.

"I think we should find a nice place, don't you?"

Her spine shivered as he spoke into her ear.

"Unless you like it rough…"

Before she could do anything, which she wasn't planning to, Naraku had snapped his head back to the jet with terrified eyes and watched the unbelievable happen.

The jet that was just starting to take off to the dock for lift off was now plummeting into the water, both its wings on fire and a huge hole in one of the engine.

"What?!"

It exploded even before the machine hit the water.

"Impossible!" Naraku yelled with menacing eyes. "What's going one?!"

"Bastard…"

Kagome turned around with unbelieving eyes and looked behind her as she chocked on a sob. Naraku growled as he looked at his worst enemy, seeing his shirt half ripped off and his silver hair slightly singed.

"You!"

*5 Minutes before…*

Kouga quirked his eyebrow when two forms fell out of the blues, landing right behind him.

"Oh…it's you…"

Ayame growled as she jumped off the now dead man, taking his gun from his hand. "You could at least be a little more thankful. You were nearly shot in the head."

"Barely." He turned around and headed closer to the jet, his ear still ringing because of how close the bullet had flew passed him. "What do you want?"

"I'm helping you. What does it look like?" She followed him with utmost disgust. "Kagura sent me."

"Oh goody."

She sighed. "Here." She handed him a night goggle, much like the one she was wearing.

Kouga paused and looked down at her offering. "I'm already wearing one. I don't need it."

"It has a locking device; it'll be easier to shoot down the jet. Take it."

He snorted but took it anyway. Taking his own off and adjusting her offered goggle around his forehead, he looked toward the jet with surprised eyes. She was right; this was very useful with better night vision…and the locking device was pretty nice…not that he would admit it to her.

Ayame gasped when he took off the leather wrapping around his weapon. "A custom built bazooka!" She squeaked.

"Would you shut up?!" He growled and held the huge weapon on his shoulder. He licked his lip and narrowed his eyes. "All right…on three…"

Ayame giggled in excitement. "Three…two…one."

Kouga shot the missile.

They watched the jet start falling towards the water, a huge hole in its engine and looking like a big ball of fire. Ayame was giggling madly now.

Kouga sighed. "Inuyasha should be by the opposite side of the dock by now." He took off his night goggle and looked down at it. "You know…this is pretty useful…" …okay, so he admitted it…

Ayame blinked and smiled, revealing her incredibly white teeth.

He looked away. Even she could act like a school girl sometimes…

Inuyasha grinned. "Me."

Naraku was breathing heavily now. "You should be dead. I saw the explosions! You should be in pieces by now!"

He cocked his head. "You never learn, do you?" He chuckled, more warmly than Naraku's. "I have my ways." He looked down at Kagome and his smiled immediately faded in wide, horrified eyes.

Her face was dull, like Kikyou's, but her face was covered in bruises and cuts like the rest of her pale skin. Her lip was slightly swollen and tears were streaming down her cheeks. He didn't know it, but those tears were of relief unlike the tears of pain he thought she was shedding.

"You…bastard." Inuyasha growled, snapping his eyes to the now smug looking Naraku. "You freaking bastard!"

Naraku sneered. "Hmm? What is it? Are you sad that I had a little fun time with Kagome here?" He cracked his knuckle. "Well, like my jet, I'm sure your friends are burning in hell right now."

Inuyasha menacingly stepped forward.

"Uh-ah…you shouldn't do that." He smirked. "First, let me give you an example of what I've been doing to Kagome since the time you abandoned her at the mall."

Even before Inuyasha could deny what he said, Naraku had taken a handful of Kagome's hair and brought his lips on hers, forcing her face towards his and crushing his body against hers, Kagome still on her knees.

Inuyasha was shaking in fury and clenching his teeth by the time Naraku pulled back, pushing Kagome back onto the ground with a dull thud and licking his lips with a triumphant look. "You see Inuyasha…sometimes you have to savor the sweet tastes…You can see that I'm very glad I get to have this girl to play with for the rest of my life."

He watched Kagome lay on the ground, her face still expressionless and her lifeless eyes staring up at the starry skies. She hadn't even responded at all to Naraku's retching lips…what if she was…?

Naraku chuckled at Inuyasha's disgusted face. "Don't worry Inu. I haven't broken her…just yet."

Inuyasha snapped.

Naraku didn't even have the time to pull out his gun and before he knew it, Inuyasha was on top of him, beating the hell out of his bloody face.

Inuyasha grunted when Naraku forcefully brought his knee up, throwing him off of him with a heavy thud on the cement ground. Both instinctively pulled out their guns and aimed it at each other.

Everything happened spontaneously.

Naraku was quicker and shot first. Inuyasha yelled and jumped out of her way, his ankle getting nicked by the fast bullet and shot at Naraku who had already duck.

But the oddest thing happened.

A dart flew and stuck by Naraku's feet, missing his toe by centimeters, and a cigarette bud fell right there between them.

Both man stared with wide eyes as Kikyou appeared from the sky and landed gracefully on her feet…like an avenging angel.

*15 Minutes before…*

The familiar mutt barked as Kirara, wearing a now beeping collar, walked around, both sniffing the now turned dirt and avoiding walking on any sharp debris, left from the two fallen buildings.

There was a cough.

Both mammals looked towards a particular rock that was slightly shifting and hurried towards it.

Moments later, Sesshoumaru had jumped out of the rocks with Rin in his arms, followed by Sango and Kohaku who both were looking slightly dazed and one confused.

"Oh gee…" Sango rubbed her forehead. "I…I don't understand what happened."

"The whole place went ka-boom!" Rin explained, jumping up like a huge explosion as an example.

Sango shook her throbbing head. "No…Kikyou…why did she direct us to the nearest shelter?"

Sesshoumaru looked up at the sky. "She's an odd one. By her words, Kanna, Kagura and Miroku can be tracked by a tracker she attached on a…"

They turned towards Kirara, who was mewing like crazy with a slightly beeping collar.

Shiro barked happily.

"Kikyou…what are you doing here?!"

The woman didn't listen to Naraku and simply ignored him. She took out another cigarette and lit the tip. But this time, she threw the lighter away, emitting a loud clanking noise in the shadows and smoked from the burning cigar.

"Kikyou…"

She looked towards Inuyasha…then to the lifeless looking Kagome on the ground, still looking up towards the sky. She glared at Naraku.

"If you look around…you'll all notice that we're surrounded by oil tanks." She said as she walked towards Naraku. "It's also true what they say…" She fondled with the cigar in her hands. "Love can make you blind."

Naraku tried to push her away since she was blocking his view of Inuyasha and Kagome. "What the hell are you doing here? You should be at the building, making sure everyone's dead."

"Including me." She growled and held up something in her other hand. "Goodbye…bastard."

Naraku cried as she stuck the sharp end of the dart into his collarbone. He backed away and slapped her right on the cheek before he fell back on his back, looking shocked and fearful.

Inuyasha yelled when Kikyou was slapped, but she pulled out her gun and pointed it at Inuyasha. "Don't come any closer, Inuyasha."

"Kikyou…" He repeated.

She shook her head. "Take Kagome…and go."

He stepped back, closing towards the girl still on the ground but not loosing eye contact with Kikyou.

The woman looked at Inuyasha with sad eyes. "I'm sorry that I betrayed you Inuyasha." She looked down at the paralyzed Naraku, staring at her with dreadful eyes. "If I never met him…everything would have been different."

"Kikyou…please, just come back. It'll be okay."

She shook her head. "Nothing will be fine Inuyasha. You found your true love." She pointed the gun towards Kagome. "Take her…save her…"

Inuyasha yelled when she threw her burning cigarette at one of the nearest oil tanks. Within seconds the oil tank exploded, spilling the black liquid on both Kikyou and Naraku. She was unfazed by this.

She smiled sadly and slowly began to point the gun at her self on the forehead. "I'm sorry I ever met you…"

"Don't…don't be sorry…" He whispered.

The liquid began to spill out towards the lighter she had thrown on the ground.

"If I had never met Naraku…" She laughed. A true laugh with happiness he never had heard from her before in his life. "A spy should never fall in love with the target…"

Before Inuyasha could respond, before anyone could do anything, the oil covered lighter had suddenly burned into flames, the fire going along the trail of liquid all the way towards Kikyou and Naraku.

Inuyasha, surrounded in small explosions and fire starting all over him, watched as a loud gunshot echoed the night, blood spilling on the ground and mixing with the oil as Kikyou fell on the cold cement with a dull thud. Her eyes closed with a sad smile on her lips.

Knowing she was dead, knowing Naraku was doomed to die a slow death with the fire burning layers and layers off from his skin, he looked down at Kagome and gently picked her up in his arms. Her eyes seemed to come back to life, but he didn't have the time to look around as the fire started getting bigger and hotter.

Sweating heavily, he coughed and ran in a mad dash to beat death, running from Kikyou's body, running from Naraku's screams of agony, and running from the nightmare that was about to end.

"May you finally rest in peace…Kikyou…" That was the last thing he said before he jumped over a trail of fire and a huge explosion pushed him off of his feet off the dock.

Kagome snapped awake when she was suddenly engulfed in water, someone's arms wrapped hard around her waist. She leaned against the familiar chest and gasped when they had surfaced.

"What's…what's going on?" She coughed as she gasped for air.

Inuyasha looked down at her form in his arms. He looked directly into her innocent eyes. That was when he knew…that was when he realized that she had been telling the truth.

Kagome blinked when he lowered his head onto her shoulder and hugged her softly. She was even more confused when he muttered, "I'm sorry I didn't trust you." into her ear.

Kagome shook her head as he began to push her and him towards the opposite docks, looking back at the burning ones behind them. "I don't understand. What happened?"

Inuyasha carefully held onto her waist with his one arm and continued swimming with his other.

"Inuyasha?"

He smiled but continued looking ahead of them. "Let's just say the nightmare's finally over."

Kagome lifted her eyebrow. "…what?"

AN: Epilogue – The Life of an Angel (sweet chapter, huh?)