CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
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"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered. She backed away, still clutching her bow and quiver.
Inuyasha's blood-red eyes followed her. He was all-demon now, and past any reasoning. In this state, Kagome knew, he just killed and killed, just for the pure pleasure it brought him. And he was staring at her with the rage-filled snarl that he had had when he killed the demon Goshinki. His fingers were curled, and his wicked claws were gleaming faintly. He was almost shaking with rage and bloodlust.
Kagome knew that she couldn't outrun him. He wasn't just uncontrollable when he was like this -- he was also infinitely stronger physically. She wanted to run desperately, but she was too terrified to move. All she could imagine was Inuyasha chasing her with a look of glee on his face, cutting her down with those too-long claws, and the look on his face when she was down. And worst of all... there would be no one to help him then...
Then she noticed something. Inuyasha wasn't attacking.
Kagome's heart lifted a little. Inuyasha... are you still in there? she thought.
He was still looking at her hungrily, still threatening her with his hands. He obviously wanted to kill her. But at the same time, Inuyasha hadn't moved a step toward her. He just stood where he was, staring at her. His body was shivering with the urge to kill... something he hadn't done before when he transformed. Every other time, he had just slashed down his enemies with his bare hands, grinning. There hadn't been this hesitation.
He looks like he's... fighting it... Kagome thought. She said hesitantly, "Inuyasha...."
Inuyasha growled at her under his breath, and his red eyes flashed.
He's still there! Kagome thought. She took a step toward him. "Inuyasha.... it's okay. Everything is going to be okay," she said softly.
"Stay away," Inuyasha said gutturally. "Or... I'll kill you..."
"I don't think you will," Kagome said. She took another step.
"Stay away!" Inuyasha snarled. He tensed, as if he were going to spring at her.
Kagome paused for a moment... and dropped her bow. I wouldn't use it against him anyway, she thought. Inuyasha's red eyes flicked down to the bow, then back to her face. "No one's threatening you now, Inuyasha," Kagome said softly. "Please... just calm down."
"Get away from me!" Inuyasha's voice was barely more than a growl. His claws clicked ominously. "You know... I'll kill you... go away..."
"I don't think you will." Kagome took another step. "You had plenty of chances to kill me before, and I don't think you'll hurt me now."
She could see now that the real Inuyasha -- the half-demon boy she knew -- was hidden underneath that snarling demon face. He was struggling so hard, and somehow he was He still hadn't budged from where he was standing. And he could have killed me a dozen times over by now, Kagome thought. But he hasn't. He's still in there! I can reach him if I try... I know I can...
His arms jerked as Kagome stopped in front of him, and his eyes flashed. For one horrible moment, Kagome wondered if she had been wrong. Then the fire in his eyes subsided, although his clawed hands were still shaking. He was still fighting the urge to kill her. Still fighting.
"Inuyasha," Kagome said softly. Trying not to startle him, she raised a hand and touched his striped cheek. "It's okay."
He stared at her as if she had lost her mind.
"Nobody's going to hurt you now. Please..."
He still stared at her, not responding to her words... but he wasn't lashing out either. Please, Inuyasha, Kagome thought. Please come back... just hang on to yourself.
Deep inside the death-hungry creature, something whispered Kagome's name. It drifted from his lips, torn into a broken whisper. But Kagome heard it. And she dared to hope that she could do more.
She carefully moved her hands up, trying to not startle him. He stiffened as she gently hugged his chest, hoping that she could bring him further back to normal. Not entirely -- the curse was still corrupting him. But if she could help him hang on to himself, to his soul.
At any moment, she expected to hear him snarl at her again, or feel him slash into her exposed back. He certainly could do it, just by raising his arm. But he didn't. He just stood there, trembling and staring over her shoulder at nothing.
"Ka... go... me," she heard him rasp.
"I won't leave you," Kagome replied softly. "Not even now."
TO BE CONTINUED
.
"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered. She backed away, still clutching her bow and quiver.
Inuyasha's blood-red eyes followed her. He was all-demon now, and past any reasoning. In this state, Kagome knew, he just killed and killed, just for the pure pleasure it brought him. And he was staring at her with the rage-filled snarl that he had had when he killed the demon Goshinki. His fingers were curled, and his wicked claws were gleaming faintly. He was almost shaking with rage and bloodlust.
Kagome knew that she couldn't outrun him. He wasn't just uncontrollable when he was like this -- he was also infinitely stronger physically. She wanted to run desperately, but she was too terrified to move. All she could imagine was Inuyasha chasing her with a look of glee on his face, cutting her down with those too-long claws, and the look on his face when she was down. And worst of all... there would be no one to help him then...
Then she noticed something. Inuyasha wasn't attacking.
Kagome's heart lifted a little. Inuyasha... are you still in there? she thought.
He was still looking at her hungrily, still threatening her with his hands. He obviously wanted to kill her. But at the same time, Inuyasha hadn't moved a step toward her. He just stood where he was, staring at her. His body was shivering with the urge to kill... something he hadn't done before when he transformed. Every other time, he had just slashed down his enemies with his bare hands, grinning. There hadn't been this hesitation.
He looks like he's... fighting it... Kagome thought. She said hesitantly, "Inuyasha...."
Inuyasha growled at her under his breath, and his red eyes flashed.
He's still there! Kagome thought. She took a step toward him. "Inuyasha.... it's okay. Everything is going to be okay," she said softly.
"Stay away," Inuyasha said gutturally. "Or... I'll kill you..."
"I don't think you will," Kagome said. She took another step.
"Stay away!" Inuyasha snarled. He tensed, as if he were going to spring at her.
Kagome paused for a moment... and dropped her bow. I wouldn't use it against him anyway, she thought. Inuyasha's red eyes flicked down to the bow, then back to her face. "No one's threatening you now, Inuyasha," Kagome said softly. "Please... just calm down."
"Get away from me!" Inuyasha's voice was barely more than a growl. His claws clicked ominously. "You know... I'll kill you... go away..."
"I don't think you will." Kagome took another step. "You had plenty of chances to kill me before, and I don't think you'll hurt me now."
She could see now that the real Inuyasha -- the half-demon boy she knew -- was hidden underneath that snarling demon face. He was struggling so hard, and somehow he was He still hadn't budged from where he was standing. And he could have killed me a dozen times over by now, Kagome thought. But he hasn't. He's still in there! I can reach him if I try... I know I can...
His arms jerked as Kagome stopped in front of him, and his eyes flashed. For one horrible moment, Kagome wondered if she had been wrong. Then the fire in his eyes subsided, although his clawed hands were still shaking. He was still fighting the urge to kill her. Still fighting.
"Inuyasha," Kagome said softly. Trying not to startle him, she raised a hand and touched his striped cheek. "It's okay."
He stared at her as if she had lost her mind.
"Nobody's going to hurt you now. Please..."
He still stared at her, not responding to her words... but he wasn't lashing out either. Please, Inuyasha, Kagome thought. Please come back... just hang on to yourself.
Deep inside the death-hungry creature, something whispered Kagome's name. It drifted from his lips, torn into a broken whisper. But Kagome heard it. And she dared to hope that she could do more.
She carefully moved her hands up, trying to not startle him. He stiffened as she gently hugged his chest, hoping that she could bring him further back to normal. Not entirely -- the curse was still corrupting him. But if she could help him hang on to himself, to his soul.
At any moment, she expected to hear him snarl at her again, or feel him slash into her exposed back. He certainly could do it, just by raising his arm. But he didn't. He just stood there, trembling and staring over her shoulder at nothing.
"Ka... go... me," she heard him rasp.
"I won't leave you," Kagome replied softly. "Not even now."
TO BE CONTINUED