Disclaimer:    Inuyasha characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.  Other characters are property of Dark Star.

Rating:         PG-13: for language and just in case

Summary:    [Nar/Kag] The ningen foiled his plans again! What was it about this human girl that allowed her to infinitely ruin his plots? He would find out for himself what she was really able to do…

Genre:            Romance/Drama

A/N:            Happy New Year!!!!  My first story of 2003!!!!  XD  I'd like to thank everyone for all their support during 2002, hopefully, I'll get the same in '03!  ^_^  Okay, anyways, *cough*, onto the story!

True Love

Chapter Seven: Prisoner

January 2003

Her head felt so heavy!  What was going on?  Everything was…not…there?  It was all black around her; she knew she was somehow…asleep, but she couldn't wake up.  It was difficult to open her eyes.  Was it even possible?  She couldn't think; her mind was clouded in black.  Miasma.  Huh?  Kagome could feel her consciousness creeping back to her.  She could think a little logically, now.  Where am I?  Inuyasha?  Forcing her eyes open a crack, Kagome attempted to take in her surroundings.

Everything was oozing together.  It didn't really look like something she would want to wake up to, so she let her eyes slide close again.  Maybe I'll wake up back home, she thought hopefully, if I go back to sleep a little longer…  Her figure slumped ever so slightly, losing any posture attained by being awake.

Naraku watched the girl quizzically.  Was there something wrong with her?  Thin lips twitched downward in a frown.  This effect had not been intended; he could not have caused it.  But she had been out for several hours now…  There must be something wrong with her.  He began to panic.  This wasn't supposed to happen!  Pausing slightly, he wondered why he even cared.  Naraku removed the large fragment of the Shikon jewel from the folds of his black kimono.  It was still not yet corrupt enough for him to use properly.  The frown deepened.

He briefly wondered what he could do with the wench in order to taint the jewel.  There were so many things to choose from, but of course, he would probably tire of her presence fairly soon.  He would decide what to do with her later.  Right now, he had to attend to waking the girl from her slumber.  Now, how to do it…  He mulled over the topic.  Avoid physical contact; that would be best.

Cautiously, he crawled on top of her and hovered above her still body.  Murmuring softly, he recited an ancient spell to remove one's fatigue and/or regain consciousness.  She stirred only slightly.  Dammit, he cursed.  Dumb bitch.  Sighing, he endeavored to recall more methods of bringing a human back to consciousness.  There's always the life force transfusion, a voice whispered in his mind.  He ignored it; that involved way too much contact for his own enjoyment.  You know you want her, it hissed.  You've wanted her for so long.  That situation involved Onigumo and Kikyo; it has nothing to do with me, he hissed back.  Don't you remember? It mocked, The way her lips felt against yours?  The way it burned?  The way you wanted her so badly?  Remember, how disappointed you were when she pulled away?  Damned voices.  It meant nothing, he assured himself.

He leaned down, disregarding the way her body melded to his, the way her parted lips seemed to entice him, and the way her breath came in cool breezes that gently caressed his skin.  Among other things, he greatly resented what he was about to do.  It might not work with his dark youki.  There was only one way to find out…  Allowing his energy to stream through him freely, he descended into a deep kiss, taking her lips without consent.

This time, the action felt one-sided, as it should.  There was no reaction from her for a moment before her lips automatically began to react to him.  The flow of sinister energy from him to her was not inhibited by their contact.  Rather, it spilled more freely with their propinquity.  Just as a precaution, he moved his arms so that he pinned her down, and then, reluctantly, he drew away from her.  Secretly, Naraku feared an ear-splitting scream and an attempt for kicks and punches for his 'perversion'.

When Kagome slit her large eyes open, Naraku caught a glimpse of their swirling depths.  Instead of the natural blue-gray she possessed, he witnessed something different.  There, though clouded, was a violet tinge to them with flecks of flaming red.  From those eyes gleamed a perpetual malice and bloodlust.  It was very atypical of the kind human girl.  In a way, it even chilled him to think what she might be concocting with such a gaze.  Her lips upturned in a conniving smirk that suggested more than sadistic torment.  She was tempting him to try again, to attempt to kiss her without emotion, without being attracted further.  Naraku could only barely restrain the urge to take her, and all for the better.  For, when she blinked, the gaze had morphed into her natural one.  Lethargic blue eyes shined out a slight fear and also curiosity.  They barely focused on his hovering form.

          "Nara…ku?" she uttered.

Was she trying to enchant him somehow?  She looked so purely innocent, so lost and in need of help, of rescuing.  He shook the feeling off.  I need to get rid of Onigumo, he thought absently.  Her eyes focused fully on him, and he smirked as alarm shattered the crystalline blue serenity in her stare.  The expressions on her face seemed to be a motion picture.  First, there flashed fear, pure and unadulterated.  Then, confusion etched her expression, furrowing her brow slightly and causing her to frown.  Finally, what he was looking for, defiance burned her aura.  The glare she threw him was enough to make him grimace.  She looked as if she was about to explode.

          "WHAT AM I DOING HERE, NARAKU?!  WHERE AM I?!" she screeched, shaking the whole castle on its foundation.

          He winced.  He had sensitive ears, although not as sensitive as those of the inu-youkai.  There was a strange ringing sensation echoing in his mind.  Despite all this, he smiled wantonly at her.  "Is that any way to treat the one who just saved your life?" he inquired.

          "Don't gimme that!" she snapped, struggling to push him off her.  "Why am I here?  Where am I?"

          "One question at a time, please, girl," he clipped.  "You are in my castle for my own purposes."

A glare marred her face.  It, alone, portrayed her obvious loathe for him.  Anger radiated from her figure when her eyes closed.  Upon reopening, there was a different person gazing up at him.  The crimson-glowing violet eyes had returned.  Her stare was narrowed so that her eyes were half-closed.  There was definitely a side effect to his transfusion of life force.  Black tendrils of energy curled off her, pulsing steadily.  Her new power was overwhelming, but in a sense, it wasn't Kagome he was seeing.

Her limbs began to loosen so that they rested almost willingly under his touch.  The eyes that burned him with their intensity looked at him dead-on, unblinking.  It was as if they were sizing him up, attempting to interpret his next move, read his soul.  Naraku began to draw back from the stare before realizing she was not enough to ward him away.  Her power could not have grown so much as to scathe me.  He leveled his own gaze at her.  What are you trying to do, girl?  A grin cracked her sensuous lips.  I do what I do for my own purposes, a voice murmured in his mind.  He visibly jumped, eyes widening ever so slightly.  She could read his mind now?!  It was impossible!

          "Kukuku," she mimicked him, "Surprised, are we?  You should have known about the consequences of your little spell.  A bit uninformed, aren't you?"

He uncharacteristically growled at her.  No one made a mockery of him!  NO ONE!  The nails usually trim began to lengthen as he forced his strength into them.  Newly grown claws dug into her flesh as miasma reflexively spilled from his body.  It surprised him, however, when a similar murk, a curious hue of lavender, also began to pour from the girl below him.

Gently, her hands worked out from under his grasp.  They slid up his arms and shoulders, sending shivers of pleasure down his spine.  Finally, they came to rest on either side of his neck.  The slender fingers pulled him down subtly.

          "Na…ra…ku," she whispered, violet eyes hazing over in lust.

What is going on?  Why is she so different?  Isn't she stronger?  Can't she overcome this?  Although his mind questioned the validity of her actions, his body screamed otherwise.  Naraku was, again, leaning down unintentionally to catch her lips.  Even as she responded passionately, curling arms around his neck, the feat seemed…unreal.  He pulled away, and at the same time, swiped his clawed hand at her.  There was a sudden shriek and then the form of a girl curled up against the wall to his left.  Small bits of blood dripped from the artificial claws.  He glowered at the teenager cowering against the protection of the shoji screen.  When she looked fearfully back at him, he spotted her hand clutched tightly against her cheek, rivulets of thick crimson liquid seeping through her fingers.  Her fear quickly vanished in a cover of anger.

          "What was that for?!  I didn't do anything to you!" she screeched lividly.

          His gaze was cold and unforgiving.  "You have done more than you could ever imagine.  I will ensure that nothing ever comes from you again," he paused and held the Shikon between his fingers.  "I will keep this."

Kagome glared at him, for now ignoring the dull throb of pain from the four gashes in her cheek.

          "Kagura," he barked out.  "Chain her in a dungeon."

The girl wanted to cry, he could tell.  Tears of frustration and sadness were beginning to overwhelm her amazing blue-gray eyes.  Adding to that was the pain emanating from the four cuts in her face he had made while slapping her.  For a split second, he could have sworn he saw lilac pulse within the oceanic orbs, but it faded away as quickly as it came.  He fisted the jewel and turned on his heel, brushing past his underling Kagura.

The wind-manipulating youkai fanned herself lightly, glaring with distaste at Kagome.  Seeing that she would not rise, Kagura waved the fan nonchalantly in her direction and began to tread towards the dungeons.  Kagome floated on a light bed of air, still cradling her sensitive cheek.  Strangely enough, it was beginning to heal itself.  The torn flesh was melding together.  In its place when the healing had completed, there were maroon stripes, one for each cut.  The marks radiated dark energy, causing Kagome to flinch away from herself.  She felt odd, like she was split in two.  Like someone was invading her personal space.

Kagome glanced from side to side, expecting something or other to jump out at her.  But the only thing making her senses buzz seemed to be her own body, own mind.  Weird…  As she floated through the doorway, she caught a glimpse of Naraku's back, just turning down the hall.  Something inside her snapped.  Why that little creep!  What am I doing here?!  I'm not going to be his prisoner!!!!  Then, she seemed to have blacked out.

Somewhere behind her, an object, a rather heavy one at that, thudded to the ground.  Kagura turned her head sharply, narrowing her eyes upon seeing Naraku's prisoner sprawled out on the wooden floor.  Such a weakling.  Why does Naraku want her here?  Reluctantly, she spun around and kneeled at the girl's side.  Her body seemed a little…empty?  What was wrong with her?  She reached out to the girl's limp form cautiously.

Suddenly, in a fraction of an instant, Kagura felt herself go numb.  There seemed to be…something attached to…her neck.  In her blurred vision, she caught a glimpse of creamy white skin and black hair before going blank.  Kagura's eyes were without soul and without life.  The body slumped against the dark Kagome, and she pushed it off to crumple on the floor.  Dark blood dripped from sharp fangs when she grinned maliciously.

          "Bitch," the unfamiliar girl spat, kicking at the body.  "Think you're gonna take me prisoner?"

Of course, the body made no response.  Kagome made her way down the corridor to an open room, where hopefully, she would find some more proper clothing.  This flimsy cloth wouldn't last her very long.  The abode was plain.  It almost looked empty and un-lived had there not been the thrown back sheets of the futon in the corner.  The girl turned to the closet, where, to her contentment, lay an assortment of kimonos.  After careful choosing, she finally decided on one of a dark red, embroidered with purple-dyed silk.  She quickly slipped into it and continued her trek through the massive castle.  The demonic Kagome was in search of one person, or hanyou, in particular: Naraku.

          "Naraku," she sang out, loud and clear.  "Come find me.  Your spawn had trouble keeping a little girl like me down."  She glided down the halls, her feet inches off the ground as she combed the area.  "Don't you want me?  You don't want to have someone like me loose, do you?  I could wreak positive havoc!"

Naraku stopped mid-step, his whole body frozen in place.  What the hell is going on?  Kagome turned a corner and came face to face with him.

          "There you are!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him.  "So good of you to stay put!"

What the HELL?!  He attempted to shove her away, to kick her, to do anything, but he couldn't move.

          "Getting a little sore, are we?" Kagome purred, running a finger through his wavy black hair.  "Well, I suppose you could be allowed freedom of movement.  It would be more fun, don't you agree?"  She waved her hand, and he practically fell onto her.

          "Why do you keep coming out?" he demanded, shoving her aside.

          "A simple question," she retorted, screwing up her face in a glare.  "I'm surprised you don't know the answer."

He glowered at her.

          "I'm her darker side, now.  Whenever she's angry, I come out.  And of course, being in your care, she has reason to be furious most of the time," she cooed.  "Don't you like me?"  She was still floating in the air, coming closer to him with a suggestive gaze.  "Don't you want me?"

          Somehow, the folds of her kimono were beginning to undo themselves, slowly sliding down her shoulders.  He was utterly disgusted as well as tempted.  "Bitch," he scolded, waving his hand.  She was thrown to the side.  "You will do as you are told.  Turn back to the human girl."

          "Moody, aren't you," she stated grimly, narrowing her eyes.  "Well, then, we'll just have to carry out the 'human girl's' plans."

Her eyes glistened a deep blood red, foretelling a gruesome and painful death to him.  She laughed harshly before lunging at him with razor sharp claws and fangs.  Naraku sidestepped her attack and decided to try a different tactic.  He disappeared from sight.

          "Where did you go?!" she shrieked, launching down the halls.

Her ranting tirade told him of her exact location.  He stood close to the dungeons, awaiting her arrival.  It was a good five minutes before she found him, fuming in her attempt to track him down.

          "What took you so long?" he teased, leaning casually against the door to her cell.

          "SILENCE!" she launched at him again.

Once again, he dodged, and she crashed through the door.  Naraku strolled into the cell and picked her up, pinning her to the wall.

          "You shouldn't play so rough," he murmured seductively.

She seemed captivated by his voice.  Her violet eyes took him in and studied his expression warily.  Unbeknownst to her, he summoned chains up to bar her wrists to the cold, stone wall.  While casting spells over the steel bonds, he continued.

          "You might hurt my precious prisoner." He was nose to nose with her.

Naraku moved so one of his legs trapped both of hers against the wall, and then, another bond materialized over her ankles.  He noticed her looking to the side, trying to glimpse what was holding her against the wall.  Smirking, he kissed her aggressively, bringing her attention to focus on him alone.  The demon submitted willingly to him.  He brought two claws to rest on her neck.  The dark youki slowly flowed into them, removing the energy from the girl.  She didn't need it anymore, he deemed.  When he felt her gasp, Naraku kissed harder, prohibiting any movement on her part.  Finally, he drew back and looked her over.  The girl with violet eyes appeared weak and pale.  Her head hung a little, and her breathing was labored.

          "I suggest you leave the girl alone; you're not strong enough to stay in this form," he admonished, taking leave of the room.

          "Bastard," he heard her call out weakly.

He sighed and made a mental note to himself.  Never transfer youki to anyone again.

A/N:                Eto…I don't like this chapter either, though it must have been the longest so far.  -.-;;  I'll just have to analyze my own writing one of these days.  It took quite a while to write, and it kinda…was made up along the way.  I don't really have the story pre-planned, so everything is based on spur-of-the-moment inspirations.  ^^;  Tell me how it was, please?  ^_^

~*~*~Dark Star~*~*~