Chapter Nine

It was a thirst.

It was the need to see blood, the need to taste it and smell it. That was what drove him.

It was the animalistic feeling that continued to dwell within the pit of his being that drove him – drove him so completely mad that he couldn't stop – that he didn't want to stop.

It was thirst; it was power.

It was everything that he was and everything that it could be.

It was him.

And he was he.

He was young, mindless and naïve.

He thought that things would get better; that they would change.

But they didn't.

And if he listened hard enough he could hear the faint dripping of blood – the taste and the smell of blood – it shrouded his senses and blinded him. He couldn't see past that thirst – that lust that drove him so completely insane, and no matter what he tried to do it was still there.

He could feel it.

And – he felt her arms wrap around him, pulling him close to her.

Protection.

She was protecting him; she didn't want him to die and – he didn't want her to die either.

But she was bleeding, and he could smell it.

It smelled wonderful – refreshing – and he wanted to have it for himself.

He wouldn't share with anyone else. She was his but – she already belonged to someone else and he couldn't have that. Not if he wanted her for himself.

That animalistic power grew stronger within him, a foreign power spreading through his veins, engulfing his soul until he was drowning once again.

He was drowning within himself and –

She was screaming.

Her screams were wondrous, so melodic, and so painfully beautiful; he had never heard anything like it before. But most of all, he enjoyed hearing the sound of tearing flesh and splashing blood. It was almost as though; it was a part of him, as he was a part of it.

It just fit and melded so well with his being – all he wanted to see was red – all he wanted to become was red.

And it was everywhere.

He could smell the fear radiating off of her body, the tears streaming from her eyes. She was saying something – something to him but – no he wouldn't listen. He wanted to decimate her, to see her blood dripping from his claws, because in truth, the sight was wholly beautiful.

The thick coppery taste of blood rolled around on his tongue and spilled down his throat. It was warm, tasty, relaxing.

It was hers.

She had those beautiful stormy blue eyes, those long dark tresses and –

"Inuyasha," she whispered his name, lifting a bloodied hand to his face.

She was his mother.

And she looked beautiful covered in a crimson blanket of blood. His father would have been swept away but then, his eyes widened fractionally as he looked at her, realization seeping into his pours.

She was his mother, and she was – gone.

Her body was limp on the floor, blood spilling around her as her ebony tresses stuck to her bloodied face.

The air reeked of death.

Her death – his first experience with death.

He had killed her.

She wouldn't be back.

And he felt a strange sense of sorrow building within the pit of his being and it hurt to breathe. This was him – a child.

Naïve.

Inexperienced.

Murderer.

He killed her, and she wouldn't be back.

The pain became so unbearable, bubbling up, growing steadily stronger until it needed to be released. He wanted to hold it in – he had to hold it in but he couldn't.

The tears were hot and blinding and his scream –

It was piercing, filled with pain.

Just like his mother's.

He had brought her pain, a pain with no mercy, and he had made her cry – just as he was crying. He had made her scream – just as he was screaming. He knew her pain and he felt her sorrow, but he felt a guilt that she could never have felt. Because when people died they didn't feel guilty, they just felt – fear.

And his mother died frightened.

And he would continue to live frightened and sorrowful – he didn't know if he would be able to get over it. All he knew is that he would need to learn how to control it.

It would be the only way.

But he couldn't learn how to control it, that inane animalistic need.

It would continue to dwell within him, sparking up at any moment, and what hurt was the fact that he knew without a doubt that it would remain within him.

He had stopped crying.

But he couldn't stop screaming.

It hurt too much.

He was he.

A monster.

A murderer.

A hanyou.

Nothing could change that.

He wasn't naïve or inexperienced anymore, no. Instead – instead he was a murderer and a hanyou – both of which his father despised and hated beyond all belief because –

Naraku was a hanyou, and Naraku was a murderer.

So was he any different from Naraku?

He didn't know. But he did know that his father – his own flesh and blood – was acting quite similar to Naraku. For he was attempting to manipulate Kagome in order to achieve his goal. Despite whether it was for common good of everyone or not, he still did not need to manipulate Kagome. Especially after all she had been through.

Especially after all she was still going through.

And it was because of everything that he had done.

Because he had allowed that animalistic need to take control of her once again. He had allowed that thirst, a thirst that he had kept under control for so long to overwhelm him, he could not let it happen again. He simply couldn't risk it.

His mother's death had been the consequences of his naivety, and he didn't want someone with those same beautiful stormy blue eyes to suffer the same fate as her. He was afraid – afraid for Kagome. Because whenever that animalistic need came and made itself known within his being he couldn't control it. All he could do was go along with it, allowing it to lead him to wondrous places, bloody places.

He could still taste that thick coppery blood rolling around on his tongue and down his throat. It was a feeling that stayed etched within his mind ever since her death.

Inuyasha sighed, rolling over on his futon to face the wall.

It was his fault – he had trained her too hard – pushed her too far and now –

Now she was gone.

Vanished without a trace.

And it had been two weeks since he had last saw her.

Normally he wouldn't care if a human went missing but this one, this human – no priestess, this priestess was important. This priestess was the only person who could possibly defeat Naraku with her purification powers and she was gone.

And the worst part was…

He was beginning to miss her.

She was such a fiery emotional person, sparkling yet dimming at the same time. She was different and unique yet she was still normal.

It was frustrating.

He wasn't supposed to be attached to her, she was just a ploy, a tool to keep around in case of emergency, and he was supposed to torture her with insane training tactics but no – instead he was missing her, wanting to apologize to her and do whatever it took to receive her forgiveness.

These feelings were completely uncharacteristic.

He wanted them to end.

But he knew – he just knew that the feelings wouldn't go away, because they were friends. He wasn't sure when the friendship had melded between them, but it had. Perhaps it started when they first met – when they were walking down the hall giggling and laughing with one another, but whenever it had started, he hadn't been expecting it.

He didn't want to be her friend.

He just wanted her to go away.

And she had.

But he couldn't help but want her near as well.

They were friends – they shouldn't be. And he – he wanted her to be found.

God, how he just wanted her to be found.

He didn't know what he would do without her.

After all, she was his friend.

His first friend.

And he didn't want to lose that.

Another sigh escaped his lips as he turned on his futon, blowing his bangs out of his eyes, his patented scowl on his face.

He wanted to do something, anything, to get his mind off of Kagome. His thoughts about her were like a plague, sweeping through his body over and over again. And although he knew that she was his first friend, and probably his only friend, he didn't want her to be his friend. He didn't need friends.

He needed to get his mind off of Kagome.

And then, as if someone was watching his progression of thought, it split through the air, alerting everyone and anyone near by of what was approaching.

Inuyasha bolted, the blood pumping quickly through his veins and a maniacal smirk on his face.

An enemy had finally arrived.

~*~

Sango glared at Miroku, scowling at him defiantly.

It was completely and utterly his fault.

And he knew it.

Which was probably why he continued to send her sheepish glances as they walked along the dirt path, their hands bound and their weapons removed from their person.

All around them were clusters of demons – each of them with strange amber eyes and long silver hair. If it hadn't been for the markings on their faces then Sango would not have known what species of demon they were but – she knew. Her father had told her about them when she was younger.

Inu-youkai.

And they patrolled the Western Lands.

And Miroku that – idiotic, lustful, lecherous, shallow-minded – monk had led them, unknowingly into their province.

And the Inu-youkai – they were furious.

They continued to glare at them, baring their sharpened claws in a demeaning fashion, hanging the threat of death over their heads continuously. And Sango was getting sick and tired of it.

She just wanted to kill them – or at least get away from them but no – Miroku had decided that it was best to be cooperative. But the fact was that she didn't want to be cooperative.

She was a young rebellious young woman, strong and independent, and despite the fact that she was traveling around with a monk and that she had taken orders from him, she still felt as though she were entitled to at least some say in the matter.

But she hadn't.

Instead she had been forced to listen to the incompetent male, trusting his words when he said that they would be able to go free if they went with the youkai but – no, instead thick rope bound their bloodied wrists, walking under an extremely hot and scorching sun.

Sango couldn't help but glare at Miroku once more, her scowl growing more deadly as he flashed her an unsure smile.

She was already thinking of a thousand different ways to decimate him.

~*~

Her breath caught in her throat, and for a moment she forgot how to scream.

But then, warm yet icy hands wrapped around her forearm and hoisted her to her feet. Her knees felt weak, as she looked around, her eyes taking in nothing but a dark ominous sky.

The rain clouds were thick, and she could hear thunder rumbling not to far from her, and the ground – was soft and wet beneath her unclad feet – not rough and rugged like she was used to and –

It was gray.

And fluffy and – she was sinking in it.

And as her feet began to freeze rather rapidly she knew exactly what she was on, because many others that were so identical to what she was currently standing on surrounded her.

A cloud.

A large gray, thick condensed cloud.

Kagome suddenly felt dizzy.

"Oi, bitch. Don't faint now – I haven't even had any fun with you yet."

"Huh?" Kagome asked rather unintelligently, falling out of her stupor. The crimson-eyed man with the large black braid snorted rudely, crossing his arms firmly over his chest.

"Well after all of the trouble that I went through to find you, I am at least entitled to some sort of – compensation."

A moment of silence passed between the two as a dawning realization made itself known in Kagome's features.

"You – you sick, disgusting pervert!"

"Hiten, brother, this girl is very good at describing you," a low thick voice sounded from behind her, causing Kagome to whirl around quickly, her feet sinking even deeper into the frigid cloud.

And she couldn't help but scream.

Because standing behind her was the most hideous creature that she had ever laid eyes on.

The goliath creature backed away slightly, seemingly frightened but Hiten – he seethed.

"He's absolutely hideous isn't he?" Hiten asked, his grip tightening painfully around her forearms and his voice unusually cold and harsh. Before – he was seemingly good-natured, although his eyes were dark when she had first looked into them but – his personally had changed so quickly, so drastically she was caught off guard. But the sound of his voice – it was truly terrifying.

"You didn't answer me," he hissed, the point of his finger nails digging into her tender flesh, "don't you think he absolutely hideous? A monster really – one that shouldn't be allowed to live?"

"H-hey, I-I never said that!" Kagome objected, fidgeting uncomfortably as she sank deeper and deeper into the glacial cloud.

"No, you didn't say it, but you were thinking it. But don't you know? They always think that he should die – and you aren't any different from them," Hiten snorted indignantly, pushing Kagome away from him.

Kagome stumbled, landing on the soft fluffy cloud with a surprised oomph.

The goliath chortled.

"Should I keep her from sinking through the cloud Hiten?"

The braided boy regarded the goliath momentary, before turning his icy glare towards Kagome, causing her to go rigid.

"Yes, keep a good grip on her Manten. We wouldn't want to lose her before we reach the citadel."

Kagome blinked, unaware of the fat chubby hand that wrapped around her wrist.

"Citadel?"

"Of course," Hiten started, waving his hand dismissively, " the citadel of Inutaisho."

And Kagome nearly fainted; because – they were taking her back to Inutaisho, back to the citadel, back to safety. And she would be able to see Shippou again, to see Inuyasha –

Wait. Wait. What?

Since when did she want to see Inuyasha again?

Perhaps it had something to do with the insuppressible feeling of nostalgia that rose within her at the thought of the hanyou. Was that it? Was that the reason that she missed him so completely and utterly? Because he reminded her of a home that she didn't have or – perhaps she thought that when she was around the citadel she was home.

She didn't know.

All she knew was that it had been a short time since she had been there so she couldn't possibly consider the citadel a home. Because the only reason that she was welcome was because of Shippou – otherwise she would have been dead.

She couldn't help but smile at the notion.

But then – a sudden thought occurred to her and she fixed Hiten with a suspicious look.

"What's in it for you?" She asked quietly, surprising both Manten and Hiten.

"What do you mean?" Hiten and Manten chorused together, Manten raising a nonexistent eyebrow.

Kagome looked at them both skeptically.

"I mean, what are you going to get out of returning me back to the citadel? I mean there has to be something you want in return of finding me – you know – some sort of reward…"

Hiten smirked, a low satisfying chuckle escaping his lips.

"This wench is more intelligent than I thought," Hiten chuckled, the conversation clearly directed to his brother, "but you really want to know?"

And despite the circumstances, Kagome couldn't help but nod, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"When my younger brother," Hiten shot Kagome a disgruntled glare, "was patrolling our mountain region he came across a group of Inu-youkai, who just happened to be a part of Inutaisho's clan. Anyway, while we were watching them, attempting to find out of whether or not they were trying to take over our region, they came across a very interesting topic of conversation," Hiten explained, turning towards Kagome and fixing her with a steady stare, his crimson eyes sparkling immensely.

"Let me guess – the topic of conversation was me?"

"Right. So naturally we had to come and get you, after all it wasn't every day that you came in possession of the White Priestess who guarded the legendary Shikon no Tama –"

"You!" Kagome suddenly screeched, jumping to her feet.

Hiten studied her quizzically, an eyebrow raised in mild surprise.

"That's all your after isn't it? The Shikon no Tama – well it will be completely and utterly worthless because – because I don't have it! And neither do they. I gave it up to Naraku so if you want it you will have to go to him," Kagome seethed, the glare on her face darkening.

Hiten and Manten merely chuckled.

"You shouldn't lie to us human," Manten stated, wrapping his hand around her wrist.

Kagome blinked, confused.

Because she knew that without a doubt she wasn't lying.

She didn't have the Shikon no Tama, and she would know if she did.

Besides, even Inutaisho had told her that Naraku was in possession of the Shikon no Tama and he wouldn't lie to her.

So why would Hiten and Manten accuse her of lying, unless they knew for absolute certain that Naraku didn't have possession of the Shikon no Tama?

But the only way that they would be able to know for certain that Naraku didn't have the Shikon no Tama would be if they –

Kagome suddenly blanched, cursing herself for having so many irrational thoughts.

Hiten and Manten – they didn't look like anyone who would work for another – no.

Instead they looked independent and rebellious, something that Kagome was not and –

But what if they were working for Naraku?

If they were questioning her about having the Shikon no Tama then that could only mean that – Naraku didn't have it anymore. And if he didn't have it anymore then his demonic energies – they were practically depleted.

Kagome felt elated.

"Oi, Manten, get the bitch ready, we're here."

"Of course," Manten stated, pushing Kagome towards his older brother, who grabbed her roughly around the waist.

Kagome yipped loudly, torn from her reverie as she was hoisted into the air and onto his shoulder.

But what she saw as Hiten slowly started to descend towards the earth was absolutely enchanting.

For not too far below her was a large gray castle, surrounded by a shimmering pool of silver.

And if Kagome listened hard enough, she could hear the faint blaring of a horn in the distance.

Somehow she knew that this confrontation was not going to be a good one.

~*~

Screaming.

They were all screaming, each of them drenched in their own blood and the blood of others. Houses were being burned and destroyed, collapsing in on themselves from the sheer power of the winds.

Lightening was crashing to the ground ominously, sparking fires wherever it hit. The gruesome sight was wholly beautiful – but what was even more enchanting was their screams, the screams of fear and pain – she loved every part of it.

She hovered above the small village, her fan extended as she watched the pitiful humans screaming for their lives, blood dripping from their bodies before she turned towards her elder sister, a sinister smirk upon her face.

"They are on the verge of death, take them now."

The emotionless girl looked at her sister, her grip tightening on the petit mirror in her hands.

"All of them?" She asked, her voice quiet and lifeless.

"It is what Naraku ordered," she stated, her crimson eyes shining slightly.

"Very well."

The mirror rotated in her hands slightly, an ethereal glow emitting from the glass and then –

Bodies littered the ground as large, powdery white substances floated up into the air, and into the mirror.

The crimson-eyed woman smirked devilishly.

Death had never been so beautiful.