Disclaimer: HAHA! *stands on isolated island* Those lawyers can't get me here! I own Inu Yasha and Red Lantern! *lawyers show up* Dang it!

Red Lantern

Chapter 8: Never Again

Author's Note:

Thanks for all the ratings and ideas! They help so much! I shouldn't babble, but hey, bring it! Hope you enjoy the next chapter of this drama! Until the end of the chapter, ja matte ne!

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Chinese Glossary ~

N/A: I'm Chinese myself, but I'm not 100% sure on the spelling of these words/phrases. If anyone knows for sure, tell me! They are in order they appear in the story.

Zao an: "Good morning."

Yi Shen: Doctor

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Author's POV~

It had been over a month of Kagome's 'pregnancy'.

Sayo crawled around Kagome's room while she was out for lunch. 'How can I find out if she is pregnant for sure?' she questioned herself.

She thought about her possible solutions. Instead, she thought of why she hated the new wife. 'It's not like she beats me or anything…'

It was jealousy. The young woman had everything she wished for: looks, husband, personality.

Of course, it was mostly looks. Her beauty gave her a husband, and what did it matter how you acted as long as you had a pretty face?

'I sound so shallow,' she thought to herself. 'But, the thing is… How am I to get the Master's attention if I'm working for Lady Kikyo?'

Murder was not out of the question. Could she kill a woman so horrible that even the third wife, clever and beautiful, could not defeat?

Unknowingly, Sayo had wandered to Kagome's laundry and picked up the basket. 'Oh well. I have to wash her clothes anyway.'

Sayo walked to a trench filled with water just for this purpose. She began dunking the clothes into the water.

Suddenly, she noticed a flash of red on a pair of white pants. 'What?'

Indeed, there was blood in crotch of the pants. 'She's not pregnant! There's no way that she can have the monthly sickness while with a child!' Sayo thought victoriously. 'I must tell Lady Kikyo!'

She dropped the pants into the basket and finished washing the clothes.

She once more picked up the basket and ran to Kikyo's room.

Sayo nodded, rushed, on the doorpost.

"Come in!" a cheery voice answered.

Sayo rushed in. "Lady Kikyo! I have found the solution to your problems!" she said, voice rapid.

Kikyo leapt up. To her maids, she said, "You are dismissed!" The maids immediately did as she commanded.

"Now," Kikyo said, looking around, "repeat to me what you said!"

"Lady Kikyo, I was doing Lady Kagome's laundry when I saw blood on her pants!"

Kikyo clutched Sayo's hands. "Are you sure?"

"Positive!" Sayo said, grinning.

Kikyo smirked. "Soon… Soon, Lady Kagome will be no more in the eyes of Master Naraku…

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Author's POV~

"Sayo? Have you seen my white pants? The ones that I wore a few days ago?" Kagome asked Sayo, a worried expression on.

Sayo nodded, while sneering on the inside. "Yes, I have, Lady Kagome. I washed them yesterday."

Kagome nodded cautiously. "That's too bad. I wanted to wear them today."

"I'm sorry, Lady Kagome." Sayo's eyes were downcast, for fear of showing her glee.

"It's alright, Sayo," Kagome said. 'Had she seen? If so… I'm doomed! She will tell Kikyo, and that snake of a woman will tell the Master to examine me, or something of that sort.'

Almost as if she was physic, a gentle knock on the door signaled the doctor. "Lady Kagome?"

Kagome gulped. It had come to this. Maybe, just maybe, Kouga would help her. Maybe Kagura could convince him. But no matter how much she hoped, he would not help. She knew it.

Kouga stepped in, his face deprived of any emotions. He nodded his head respectfully at Kagome, and soon flashed a boyish grin.

"Lady Kagome, I'm here to examine you and the life of your unborn child," he said in a military voice.

Kagome weakly smiled. "Zao an, yi sen," she said, her voice strained.

"Is something the matter?" Kouga asked in a warm voice.

"No, nothing at all, Doctor! In fact," she said as she straightened her back, "I feel better than ever!"

Kouga nodded happily. "I'm glad, Lady Kagome! Many people were worried about your health, you know, including Ladies Kikyo and Kagura and the Master Naraku!"

'No doubt Kikyo is very *happy* about my condition!' She settled on a gracious nod.

"Well, if you allow me to, let's check your health!"

Kagome grimaced. 'This is about to end.'

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Author's POV~

Naraku stood pacing in his office, waiting for the doctor's news.

He thought about all his wives' pregnancies and the wives themselves.

Back when he was younger, he had wanted as many children and heirs as he could get. Was it worth it, though?

Look at his first son, his heir, Inu Yasha. The little fool made him sick. He would know, when he was his age, what it felt like to be surrounded by wealth and old women!

What about his oldest wife, Kagome? She was beautiful enough, full of charms. But her temper! It angered him so much to see a disobediant female. Why couldn't she have a personality like his second wife, Kikyo? She was dutiful wife, calm and controllable, with looks to go with it! It was such a pity that she had turned old.

On the topic of his second wife, why was she so anxoius about Kagome's pregnancy? Did she know something he didn't? There had always been a hostile aura when she was with the other wives, no matter how she acted.

In mid-pace, Doctor Kouga stepped into the room, his head bowed, the picture of the bearer of bad news.

"So? How is she?" Naraku asked urgently.

Kouga paused. "Sir… I have bad news… The child… It's no longer there…"

Naraku grabbed Kouga's shirt collar. "What do you mean, it's not there?!"

"I-it was n-never there, M-master Naraku!" Kouga nervously stuttered. HE had heard of the Master's strength when angered.

"Never there? What is that supposed to mean? She was lying to me?" Naraku hissed.

Kouga nodded. It was Kagome or him, and to the best of his knowledge, he was worth more to himself. "I-I'm not sure," he stammered after a moment of thought. "She could have thought she was pregnant when she wasn't. It's h-happened before."

"You lied to me, you charlatan!" Naraku ground out, voice filled with hostility.

"I s-said I wasn't sure!"

Naraku glared at him one last time, and released him. Instead, he stalked out the door, his feet giving the floor a thrashing.

Kouga gasped, panting. He truly felt sorry for the young woman who was to meet the monster who was her husband, to face his rage.

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WOW! You guys do not know how hard it was to write this chapter! I waited and waited and I just could not think of a good place to stop or how to describe some of the settings! Usually you can't get writer's block from stories based off movies, but this was just plain HARD! So, please, make me happy and give me a review! I need them! Next chapter, "Rage"!

Responses to Reviews:

CrissyKitty: I don't think you're spoiling my story at all! I'm sorry some of the things confuse you, and I'll try to make it better when I edit the story.

AnimeObessionFantasy: Kagome is naughty girl! Oh well, right? I hoped you like this chapter!

Sleepy: I'm glad you think this story rates an eight! Kikyo can be evil, huh?

Whatever: Wow! I feel so… respected! I'm glad you like this so much! I think you're doing a great job at filling my ego up and making me want to update eariler!

Fire Phoenix: You think this story is THAT good? A 10? Wow… I'm amazed beyond words! Thank you so much!

dUKE OF sPADES: It's alright that you haven't been reviewing! I'm glad you love this story that much! Is the suspense killing you? Thanks for the review and the encouragement!

It's Jenny again!: You have my SN now! I'm so glad you give this story a 10! I'm so proud…! Talk to you on IM!

MinLay: You ramble too! YAY! I also talk a lot… and I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse! Yes, the real name of the moving is Raise the Red Lanterns. I thought it was too long so I changed it. AZN PRIDE!

Tenshi Chan: Hey, you're Chinese, too? Cool! Sorry about the spelling errors and stuff, but I'm working on it. My editor is working hard to help me correct all of it. Thanks for the suggestions and all!