Chapter 24
It was getting dark and Kagome was worried. Where was Sesshoumaru? Where were Hiro and Yuki? She felt completely alone and vulnerable.
Kagome had heard Naraku leave the house and a car drive away. The house was completely empty...or so it seemed.
She tried to get out of bed, but her legs still didn't work. What the hell had Naraku done to her? Her abdomen ached horribly and she could feel herself bleeding from her vaginal canal. She knew this wasn't good. She needed to be back at Kouga's house where the midwife could tell her that this was normal. It was normal, wasn't it?
Kagome knew that she needed to get out of there and fast. Naraku could be back any minute. So, gathering her strength, she scooched to the end of the bed, slid her legs over the edge and slid to the floor. She eased down quietly, not wanting to make a sound. As soon as she sat on the floor, she pulled herself along the floor, making her way slowly towards the door.
'Damn, I feel like I'm in "Misery",' she thought anxiously. 'I just hope that bastard doesn't come in here with a sledgehammer.'
She had just reached the door, when her youkai and the Shikon stirred inside her. Startled, she nearly fell on her face.
'He's coming! Our mate is coming!' her youkai rejoiced.
Kagome had just breathed a sigh of relief when her body began to glow. She could feel the Shikon pulse madly inside her chest. Yuki and Hiro were coming as well. The pull was overwhelming and it caused her to actually stand up on her shaky legs.
'What's happening?' she cried inside her head.
'We're helping you escape, Kagome.' It was Hiro's voice and Kagome had never felt so glad to hear a voice inside her head in all her life.
Her legs walked her to the door and she found it was locked. One of her hands again reached out and touched the knob. Her hand glowed blue!
The door knob clicked and she pulled back on it, opening the door. 'How are you guys doing this?' she asked them in her mind. 'This is crazy!'
Yuki's voice answered. 'We're connected to you through the jewel, love. You're in trouble and since we aren't there yet, this is the only way we can help you now.'
She moved stiffly through the icy, darkened hallway until she reached some stairs. 'I don't know if I can walk down these stairs, guys,' she thought to them.
'We're going to take them one at a time, okay? You don't have to rush.' Hiro's voice was so calming and smooth she just wanted to curl up in his arms.
'Well, okay,' she replied, gripping the railing.
Her legs moved of their own accord, stepping slowly and carefully down the stairs. When she reached the bottom, she looked around. A few feet away on her right was the front door. She tried to head that way, but her legs didn't answer.
'Hey! What's going on? The front door's right here!' She was confused.
Hiro spoke up again. 'It's best that you not use the front door. Naraku might be coming through that door. It wouldn't do to open the door and come face to face with him. Let's go to the back door instead.'
Her legs moved, heading away from the front door and towards the back of the house. She had just made it to the kitchen when she heard a car pull up. From the sound of the engine, it was Naraku, returning from where ever he had disappeared to.
'Shit!' she thought and hastily cast a scent masking spell. She berated herself on not casting one sooner, but it was too late now and she could only pray Naraku wouldn't discover her trying to escape.
By the time she had reached the back door, she could hear the front door open. Her heart beat madly in her chest and she had to hold back the panic as it clawed its way up her throat.
Thankfully, his footsteps immediately headed upstairs and she quickly grabbed the door knob and opened the door. She went through, shutting it quietly behind her before walking in the snow that covered the backyard.
She had just come to a group of trees when she heard a roar of outrage. Looking back, she could just see Naraku's figure through the darkened window of her temporary prison destroying something in the room.
Her heart rate began to race when he stopped and stared out of the window. He rushed to it, his terrible, handsome, white face pressed grotesquely against the glass. His frightening red eyes narrowed with fury. He had spotted her!
Kagome tripped slightly, turned and began to run. She was barefoot and in a flimsy nightgown. Even IF she managed to get away, she would die of exposure and hypothermia.
Behind her, she could hear his muttered curses as he closed in behind her. Hiro and Yuki's hold on her body was gone now and she collapsed onto the snow. She felt rough hands on her, flipping her over onto her back.
Kagome stared up into Naraku's evil, smiling face as he pinned her beneath him.
"You thought you could run away from me. As you see, you did not get very far." He leaned down, his body pressing her aching body into the snow. His hips moved suggestively against hers in a revolting motion. "Did you THINK I would let you get away? You have two things I want, miko. The Shikon no Tama and you. That's all I want. Is that too much to ask?" He bent further downwards, letting his cold lips brush against her throat.
She squirmed beneath him, trying desperately to get away, but couldn't He was far too heavy, and she her body was still weak and sore from childbirth.
"Don't...you touch me..." she hissed furiously at him. "Sesshoumaru will come. He'll come and he'll kill you!"
Naraku's hot breath skittered across the sensitive skin of her neck as he chuckled. "Oh, I'm counting on him to come. I want him to watch as I make you and the jewel MINE."
Kagome gasped when she felt his fangs move lightly across her skin. "Get off of me!" she screamed. "GET OFF OF ME!"
Deep inside her, she felt two forces gather and join as one. Her body glowed pink once more as her youkai surged forward.
Her eyes glowed a dark crimson and she shoved at him with all her might.
Naraku was flung backwards with such force, his back snapped. He landed in a heap on the snow.
"You little bitch!" he yelled, as his true from emerged. His spider's legs and tentacles burst forth. Kagome, with her demon hearing, could hear his spine correct itself as he rose.
"Come on, you prick!" she screamed at him. "Come and get me!"
She could feel Hiro and Yuki's pride in her. 'Way to go Kagome!' Hiro applauded. 'We'll be there very soon!'
She got to her feet and put her hands out in front of her. Pink energy glowed from her hands and shot out of her palms, hitting Naraku squarely on his disgusting spider's body.
He stumbled backwards, snarling at her. A tentacle flew out, intent on impaling Kagome.
She still was very weak and her legs refused to work. She sent another blast of miko energy his way and destroyed the slimy appendage, but he sent another. Every time she destroyed one, another immediately took its place.
Exhausted, Kagome sank to her knees in the snow. She didn't have the strength to fight him again.
Another tentacle shot out and she knew it would reach its mark.
But the impact never came. From high above them, something white flew furiously down to earth, causing the ground to shake and separating Kagome from Naraku.
She looked up. Sesshoumaru stood there, shielding her, taking the tentacle in the shoulder without flinching. His eyes were a frightening sight... hideous, glowing red orbs that burned with pure hate.
"How DARE you touch my woman." He growled deep within his chest, causing the earth to shake beneath them once more.
He ripped the tentacle out of his shoulder and yanked it hard, causing it to snap off of Naraku's body. He tossed it to the side.
The Tokijin burned scarlet in his right hand, the aura overpowering Kagome. She fell backwards onto the snow but she knew she was safe.
A/N: Heh heh heh...this last part is just beautiful, ne? It was written with a little inspirational music...namely Sesshoumaru's theme music from Inuyasha. :D I could just see him land like a damn meteor and then get ready to lay down some SERIOUS smack. It's all good!
ravenskyeblackhawk
