Evil Intentions
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"This," an angry woman's voice hissed, "is not the time for that kind of thing!"
"Saying it that way," her companion replied easily, " implies that there will be time later."
Twack!
"Focus, will you!"
"Gladly!"
Twack!
"Not on that!"
Sesshoumaru wondered again why he had revived these pitiful creatures. They were more annoying then anything else...ever since that proclamation of love and undying fidelity from the male, they had been constantly at each other's side. Except for when he was lying unconscious on the ground...
Sesshoumaru's growl went unheard. He looked at the youngest human he had recently revived. This one was quiet, almost unusually so, but when compared to the caterwauling the other two were insistently continuing, even Rin would have seemed demure. The boy watched them, curiosity and confusion in his bright eyes.
They had been traveling back to the village and the well. The trip was slow and unhurried. The threat of the half-demon was greatly diminished since Kagome's arrow had pierced through his barrier and purified the greater part of the conglomerate demon. And with the restoration of the humans, the half-healed wounds on the Lord's shoulder and the kid in tow, they were making little progress. Though mostly healed, they were all exhausted and the fatigue of their spirits and bodies was nothing they wanted to push into further extremes by forcing a faster pace, just in case they were attacked again, though it seemed unlikely.
Kagome's calming presence was sorely missed right now. Her cheerful but soothing nature and energy was an absent spirit that brought out the best in them all. Her every action was an effort to do what ever she thought would best help the others. And they found that they truly missed her when she was gone. Especially when Sesshoumaru had informed them of what she had done in their behalf and that she was still under the impression that they were dead...
So now, their intent was to find Kagome, and pull her from her wasted grief, but they were not the only ones with the time traveling Miko on their mind.
Sesshoumaru sniffed out the familiar scent on the wind. Almost as quickly, he had his sword drawn and was ready to face the intruder that the others were just now sensing, with their more limited resources.
Through the trees, a tall figure, conspicuously covered in a white baboon pelt appeared in front of them. All the humans gasped and quickly prepared what weapons had survived that last battle. After all, this was the same creature that had caused them to be dead no more then a few hours ago.
Sesshoumaru snarled at them and the figure. "Stay back," he ordered.
"You never were the spontaneous type..." the thing addressed him without respect. "Very unlike your brother. On the other hand," it continued, "you seem to have acquired the same fondness for humans. Tell me, Lord Sesshoumaru," the deep voice mocked, " What do you gain by allying yourself with Inuyasha's bitch? Did she promise you the jewel? Or," the thing's shoulders shook with silent laughter, "something more...fulfilling?"
Sesshoumaru made no move to answer the creature. In fact, he was an unreadable statue that stood with such natural regality, everyone else automatically appeared inferior. He used this to his advantage and peered contemptuously at the thing in front of them. His silence implied that the was above answering such questions, and indeed, he believed he was.
When he finally spoke, the dog demon's tone was smooth and confident. "If you wish to speak with this Sesshouamru, face me yourself, Naraku. Do not insult me with this..." he allowed his lip to curl in distaste, "...toy. Or is it," he smiled now, a dangerously frightening smirk, " that you lack the ability to do so?"
"Kukukukuku," the puppet's sinister laughter poured from its illusionary mouth. "I may be a bit... indisposed for a short time. But, even as we speak, I am insuring such a thing does not disturb me again."
Sesshoumaru narrowed his golden eyes, processing the demon puppet's words and trying to decipher the cryptic comment. Suddenly he understood and snarled in suppressed rage at the implications.
"Oh, my Lord," the thing bowed mockingly, "did you forget the young Miko's attachment to the kitsune brat? I assure you, she has not..."
"Shippo?" the woman breathed, trying to comprehend exactly what the threat was. "You bastard! You would go after another child?"
The figure tutted. "My dear slayer," it said, "I won't have to! The miko will return for the brat, and" he chuckled, "She will walk right into my arms!"
No one even saw the dog demon move. The puppet was simply laughing one moment and missing it's head the next. "He's at the well!" he snarled at the others.
"She's defenseless!" the man behind them cried out.
"Hurry!" the woman said, already moving. But, they knew they were at least a day away from the Bone Eater's Well yet...
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Kagome smiled to herself when she wriggled around to find a more comfortable position and felt Kurama's arms tighten around her.
"Don't do that!" he sucked in a breath.
Kagome pouted prettily but settled back against him. "My leg is asleep," she explained. She turned her head to the side and met his eyes. That particular vivid green she associated with his eyes was now ringed by a shade of gold. The effect was beautiful...but strange.
"Kurama...." she began, a look of confusion brushed across her features." ...your eyes-"
He cut her off by pressing his mouth to hers. She melted into him, her question forgotten and thoughts scattered in the wake of his skillful onslaught. He knew that now was not the time for this particular discussion. With her nerves already raw from recent events and her world crashing down around her, this would have to wait. And, if she came to love him, really love him, perhaps she could forgive him.
"Mmmm..." she hummed when he released her. Kurama enjoyed the effect he had on her and pulled closer.
Kagome kept her head tucked under his chin, the silent moment sweeping a calm peace over her. His presence sent a warm light to the dark corners of her mind, freeing her from the guilt and pain she thought would never cease. Sango, Miroku...I'm sorry.
She heaved a tired sigh and rubbed a circular pattern over Kurama's shoulder with her finger tips. "I have to go back."
Her touch was sending ripples down his spine and was driving him crazy. He pressed her fingers with a free hand to still them and frowned at the opposite wall. When she stirred in his arms again, he pressed a comforting kiss to the top of her head. "When?" he asked her softly.
"Now...soon. I have to find Shippo...he must be so scared." She cuddled into him, breathing in his scent and trying to block out the dark and bitter events of yesterday.
He growled, distressed at the thought of her leaving and of the danger that would once again surround her. He choked back on a useless protest. Even Youko knew better then to step between a female and her pup. He composed himself and stroked her back. "So soon?" he sighed.
She nodded, the top of her head bumping his chin. "Kurama?"
"Hmm?"
"There are many dangers in the past. I won't lie to you...but-" she hesitated. "Many demons have come after me. I expect that they will continue to do so. My life has been threatened before, But I have always survived and I will not back down now. I won't let myself be beaten, not without a fight...And, I-" she squeezed him tight, "thank you for giving me something else to fight for..."
Talk of threats and danger had Youko in a regular temper. Kurama held him back, giving her that space that she needed to adjust to these changes.
When he didn't say anything, she worried that she may have misinterpreted the course that their relationship had headed. His quiet voice suddenly broke the silence and immediately sought to alleviate that fear and his words made her smile.
"I won't let anything harm you. Let me protect you..." he said into her ebony hair.
"I've heard that before!" she giggled.
"Let me come with you," he persisted. "I would keep you safe."
"I know..."
Kurama felt a heavy weight in his chest. "But?"
"I need you here."
He closed his eyes, memorizing every bit of contact he had with her.
"Kurama, I know that I don't know everything about you..." she smiled secretly when she felt him tense. "But I trust you completely. That is why...I need you to do something for me. Something important."
The serious lit in her voice had him pushing her away until he could meet her silvery blue eyes with his steady gaze. He patiently waited for her to continue.
"Those demons, they are always after the Shikon." she stared at him, indecision bright in her concerned expression. "I can't take it with me..." she looked at her hands wrapped in his. "Would you keep it for me...until I get back with Shippo?"
He blinked in surprise. He hadn't been expecting that from her. He knew how important the jewel was...and this spoke louder then words how much trust she had in him that she could ask this of him.
He saw a tear slide down her cheek. He wiped it away tenderly. "If you do this," she whispered, "they will come after you...There is always some evil looking for the jewel."
"I will protect it, Kagome, until you return," he whispered to her, emotions chasing through his eyes. It was hard for her to ask this, to knowingly place him in danger. But he felt a strange mixture of pride, guilt, tenderness, love, fear and concern. Her eyes spoke volumes about how much she felt for him, and the pride he felt was in direct reaction to her obvious and complete trust in him. Yet, the guilt stemmed from the same source, since he had yet to tell her about himself...she was trusting a thief...a demon thief ...with the Jewel, and with her life.
He hugged her close and let her cry again. Her tears burning a path through his heart. "Let me hold you until you have to leave..."
She clung to him tighter and sobbed out her sorrow, for lost friends, and for an uncertain future, relying on his strength to keep her from falling apart inside.
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The wind blew the stench away from the two pale figures standing tense in the shadow of the forest. The ground in front of them was a slime covered mess, tinted black from the massive amounts of blood shed that had dried in gooey patches on the surface of the land.
Severed limbs and heads lay discarded in disjointed piles, their flesh pealing and bones pitted. If the gore wasn't mind boggling enough, the sheer numbers of dead was enough to make the deity of death gasp in horror.
"What could have caused this?" Boton asked her companion in a whisper.
"I-I don't know."
Boton jumped when a small greenish demon jumped onto the body in front of her and went to work. She recognized the creature as a spirit world employee. It used it's energy to detach the soul from the body for transport into spirit world when a ferry girl of death would then come to collect them. The modern era had disbanded the creatures a few centuries ago when they learned that not all souls came back whole... She scowled at the creature as moved closer to the hanyou at her side.
"Stay close, Boton," Inuyasha told her. "What ever did this may still be around."
Boton crowded as close as she could without hampering him in case he had to draw the Tetsuseiga. "We should keep going. I changed my mind, I'm not ready to camp yet..." she pulled her oar back from the ethric beyond and quickly pulled her feet up from the tainted earth. "Come on..." she coaxed the dag demon.
In one easy leap, he joined her, arms returning around her waist automatically in one smooth motion. "Let's go," he agreed from behind her.
"Yes..." she shot out of there as quickly as she could. "Hold on," she reminded him.
"Hmmm..." his hold on her tightened as they flew away from the carnage.
"Do you think your friends were involved?"
"I don't know," he repeated, worry evident in his golden eyes. "I just don't know..."
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Kurama waited until Kagome was preparing to jump into the well before he allowed himself to let his control slip a little.
The Youko in him was apparent in his gold rimmed eyes when he snatched her back from the brink of tumbling into the ancient well and closed the distance between them with a passionate kiss. Her response was just as hungry as his and fueled the leaping flames of his desire to claim her as his for as long as she would have him. "I don't want you to go," he whispered when they broke apart.
"I have to," she answered, pleading with him to understand. "Shippo needs me..."
"I need you!" he pouted.
She smiled and kissed the full lower lip that he presented to her so enticingly. The kiss picked up right where the last had left off and continued until an annoyed "Hn." had them pulling apart.
Kurama's eyes flared to a full blazing gold color as he looked over Kagome's dark head to the seemingly unconcerned fire demon casually leaning on the door frame. Kagome's small frame shook in his arms and he glanced down, concerned that she was crying again. Her blue eyes, however were full of laughter and concealed humor.
"At least it wasn't my mother...or even better, grandpa!"
He grinned and pulled her into a tight hug. Though they were just beginning to truly know one another, they had been in some sort of physical contact since she had awoken. A simple touch between them was a connection that neither seemed to stop themselves from indulging in. "So you are saying that you wouldn't mind Hiei walking in on-"
"Don't finish that thought," she warned him with a slight frown on her face though her eyes still sparkled with amusement. "I refuse to share."
"Hn." Hiei complained from the doorway. "Don't drag me into your conversation." Hiei took a closer look at the boy and noted the yellow eyes. "Or anywhere else for that matter, fox," he added.
Youko flashed a good natured smirk on Kurama's normally well composed face.
"We have to go," Hiei announced.
"A mission?" Kurama asked, serious again. His eyes faded back into the shadowed green.
"Same one. Seems that the demon we were after before has crossed the barrier again. No one has caught him yet. Koenma wants you to try to track him again."
Kurama hesitated, his indecision easily read in his concerned expression. He couldn't shake the feeling that he shouldn't let her go. That he should hold onto her for all he was worth and guarantee her life would be safe as long as he was there and could fight with every last breath that was in his body.
He looked down at the girl still hugged protectively in his arms. She no longer looked so lost or alone, but the sadness and grief lingered in her face.
"Go," she pushed him lightly. "We both have responsibilities to take care of right now." He watched her balance herself on the well rim again and saw the whispered goodbye on her lips before she was swallowed by the blue light.
He sighed. He already missed her.
"I see you have finally confronted her," Hiei said.
"It wasn't a confrontation, Hiei. It was...a bonding." he laughed at the fire apparition. "Not everything is a battle to be won or lost, you know."
"Hn." Hiei answered skeptically, though he couldn't meet the fox's wise eyes.
"Shall we go and find this dog demon then, my friend?" Kurama followed the koorime from the well house.
"Hn," Hiei snorted. "You find him and I'll take his head."
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Kagome landed on her feet and scrambled to the top of the well in higher spirits then when she had left. But, when she reached the top of the well and faced the empty clearing, her heart dropped to her feet again. A silent and desolate depression washed over her and her shoulders and head drooped in unhappy lines. She kicked aimlessly at the tall grass and faced the fact that there was not going to be any one here to greet her this time..
She faced the village and stood still, trying to bring her thoughts back into focus on the important matters.. She missed her kit. She knew she hadn't been coherent enough when Sesshoumaru flew her to the well to plan ahead before this. So, they had not spoken of her departure, of her eventual return...For the first time, no one would be waiting for her...
Kami, was she wrong.
Kagome had time to suck in a breath before everything went black....
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Don't worry! There is another chapter!